


Great Minds

by princeprincess



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Anal Sex, Armpit Kink, Athletic Kink, Bottom Zuko (Avatar), Comeplay, Dirty Talk, First Time, Friends to Lovers, Light Bondage, M/M, Mutual Pining, Not Beta Read, Oral Sex, Punishment, Rimming, Scent Kink, Sexting, Size Kink, Top Sokka (Avatar), Underwear Kink, they’re both like 25
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:35:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 28,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25194790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princeprincess/pseuds/princeprincess
Summary: Zuko hated going to the gym with Sokka. Until one time, he really, really didn't.Zuko steals something naughty from Sokka, his beloved disaster roommate. Will he get away with it?(He gets away with it. And then some. Meant to be a one-off, but y'all seem to like it, so more to come!)
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 98
Kudos: 497
Collections: Amazing Fics I Like to Re-Read





	1. Strange, New Territory

Sometimes, Zuko was so fucking tired of doing Sokka’s chores. He knew it was going to be like this when they moved in together. After five years of being friends with Sokka, it’s not like Zuko was under any illusion that the exuberant boy would be Mr. Clean. Did he hope he’d at least pretend to try? Sure. Was he secretly hoping that their having recently graduated from college meant that Sokka was going to start learning some critical life skills? A little. 

What made up for it, though, was the fact that Sokka was incredibly, enthusiastically grateful for everything Zuko did for him. Sokka never failed to notice that Zuko was taking out the trash or vacuuming, and would always make a big show of thanks, often involving a dozen hugs and an improvised haiku. Well that, and, he cooked. Well. Zuko was cursed when it came to stoves and knives, and cooking, for him, was much more likely to turn into a trip to the hospital than a passable meal. After living off ramen for four years, he was medium-happy to go the extra mile to make sure they didn’t live in squalor. 

And, to his credit, Sokka didn’t have much time to give to chores. He worked a busy job as an aide to some city council person and had weird hours sometimes. Zuko knew he was usually pretty stressed out, and, though not without some grumbling, was more than medium-happy to make his best friend’s life a little easier. Zuko’s freelance graphic design work meant he was home pretty much all day and had a lot of flexibility, anyways. 

Zuko was just finishing doing some of the dishes from the night before around midafternoon when he got a text from Sokka asking him if he wanted to go to the gym together after he got out of work. Zuko loathed working out, another one of he and Sokka’s opposite tendencies, but he said yes, knowing that even if he said no, Sokka would bother him all afternoon until he complied. He’d seen this movie before, and wanted to spare himself the guilt of telling Sokka no. He was a hard person to deny anything to, the smiley bastard. 

Zuko put in a few more hours working on a new website project, getting so lost in the project that he didn’t even realize that five had come and gone. He ran out of the house with a hastily-packed gym back, speed-walking the few blocks to the cheap gym Sokka had pressured him into joining. By the time he got there he saw that Sokka was already on the treadmill, keeping a steady pace while he waved frantically and shouted at Zuko from across the gym. A few heads turned. Zuko was used to this. Sokka sometimes walked about the world as if he and Zuko were the only people in it. 

Zuko waved back, pointing towards the locker room, indicating that he had to get changed, which he did quickly. He walked over to the row of treadmills and got on the one next to Sokka. He started at a slow pace, a comfortable jog. 

“You’re going to come all this way and just, what, go for a stroll? Come on, you can do better than that, I’ve seen you run away from your family.”

Without breaking his stride, Sokka reached over to Zuko’s machine and turned up the speed. Zuko groaned and began to meet Sokka’s pace, a truly unreasonable expectation. Sokka ran every day. He’d barely broken a sweat by the time Zuko got there, and after only a few minutes Zuko was already starting to sweat through the tight black special workout-whatever shirt Sokka got him for Christmas the year before. 

“See, now you’ve got it! Now get ready, we still have another 30 minutes to go!”

Sokka shot Zuko a wink and thumbs-up, and Zuko managed to punch Sokka lightly in the upper arm. 

“You know… its 2020, Sokka… we have cars… now. We don’t… have to run… for anything.”

“Not the point! Don’t you just love the feel of your heart beating out of your chest? Haven’t your legs gotten to the point where it feels good to run?”

“You’re… an idiot. No one… no one likes any of those things.” 

“Oh, come on. Besides, this is all a front. Don’t try and tell me you don’t have any stamina, I’ve heard you having sex next door for like, five years.”

Zuko was about to puke. 

“Yes, and if… if this treadmill was sucking my dick… maybe I’d… feel differently about it.”

“Yeah, yeah, just call your treadmill Jet and maybe you’ll feel better about it.”

“I fucking… hate you,” Zuko managed to get out, along with another punch. Sokka wasn’t wrong in his assessment of Zuko’s stamina, mind you, but it was rude of him to bring up the guy Zuko had been sleeping with on and off for the past few months at a time like this. It had been a while since he’d seen Jet… 

Suddenly committed to proving Sokka wrong, Zuko managed to find the strength within him to make it to the end of Sokka’s run. Sokka threw his hands up, as if he was crossing some imaginary finish line, while Zuko heaved, bent over, black hair dripping sweat all over the machine’s tread. In that moment he actually did feel motivated to do this more often, if only so that he could eventually get good enough at it to not look like some pale skinny puddle next to his dewy shimmery friend. Sokka really did fucking suck, he was even hot after a long run – if not hotter – and he fully knew it. And to top it all off, he came over to Zuko and patted him on the back, and when Zuko looked up at him, he had the nerve to give another wink-y, smiley thumbs up! Zuko made a note to not do any of Sokka’s dishes for a week. 

“I’m proud of you, Zuko. Now, I just learned this new stretchy thing, but it needs two people, and I haven’t had another person around to try it out with. Gimme a hand?”

“Fine.”

Sokka led him by the hand – for no apparent reason, the stretching area was maybe fifty feet from their treadmills. 

“Okay, so we’re both going to sit with our legs spread as far as possible, with our feet touching, so we make like a little diamond thingy.”

Sokka modelled the position, Zuko caught up quickly. It wasn’t rocket science. Sokka reached out his hands in front of him, palms open, gesturing to Zuko to take them, which he did. 

“So now, you’re going to lean back as far as you can, pulling my arms and keeping my legs spread with your feet, and you’re gonna hold me there for about thirty seconds, and then we’ll switch.”

“Sokka, where did you see this? Are you sure it’s a stretch and not some weird foreplay?”

“Hush, don’t ruin my hamstrings or whatever with your filthy mind. Now pull!”

Zuko did as he was told, leaning back and pulling on Sokka’s outstretched arms, until Sokka was completely folded over. Zuko was sure there was some kind of stretch happening there, but he was even more sure that Sokka’s face was hovering directly above his crotch. Like, in his crotch. He could feel Sokka’s breath on his inner thigh. His body had no capacity to recognize that this presence was Sokka, or that it was an inappropriate moment to become aroused, but aroused he became. He could feel his cock start to strain against the tight sporty workout-whatever underwear Sokka had also gotten him for Christmas that year. It was the longest thirty seconds of his life, each moment could be the one which precedes his best friend’s face coming into harsh, unexpected contact with his about-to-be-raging boner. Zuko was sure it had been more than thirty seconds when Sokka finally told him to come back up. 

“Fuck, that felt amazing. I could have stayed down there forever. Okay, your turn!!”

Without much warning, Zuko was pulled into position. Too preoccupied with his hopefully-hidden erection to think much into the future, Zuko hadn’t expected a predictable situation. His face was now hovering directly over Sokka’s crotch. He could practically feel his eyes dilate. 

He wanted to close them so badly, not be so visually confronted with his compromising position, but he had no will do to so. All he could do was stare ahead of him, at the smooth, golden skin of Sokka’s inner thighs creep up into his too-short running shorts, the peek of light blue spandex or boxer briefs coming out of the legs, leading up to the soft curve of Sokka’s, and Zuko was just now noticing this for the first time, prominent bulge. He imagined Sokka’s cock just lying there, a few inches from his mouth, soft, surrounded by dark pubes damp with sweat, resting on full, beautiful—

And then the situation went from bad to worse. His breath stolen for a moment, Zuko’s first inhale was a second delayed. Sokka’s scent hit him right in his brain’s pleasure centers, shooting electricity right down into his now fully-hard dick. Thank god his underwear was so tight, hopefully it would provide him some cover. Zuko couldn’t stop himself from deeply breathing in his friend’s scent, completely transfixed by the vision of Sokka’s bulge and his smell, pure sex and strength overwhelming his mind. His mouth fell open, practically salivating, as he fought every instinctual urge to just move his head down a few inches, just the smallest bit, so he could bury his face in Sokka’s crotch. Unable to keep it in, a small, almost choked-out moan escaped his mouth. 

“See, isn’t this stretch great? Might want to keep that down, though, Zuko. People are gonna get the wrong idea.”

The completely right idea. No, Zuko tried to tell himself. The wrong idea. There was no way this was happening. There was no way he was getting so turned on like this, in public, by Sokka of all people. His whole body was on the verge of quivering from sexual sensory overload when, thank god, Sokka rose, pushing Zuko back up.

“Are you okay? You look kind of funny.”

Zuko fully did not hear him, and a beat passed before he was able to feel enough of his face to know that it had gone completely slack, all tension released in the blissed-out moment he spent between Sokka’s legs. He was able to shake it off, though, when the beat passed.

“Oh, yeah I’m just not used to stretching like that after a run… Yeah, that did feel pretty good. Can we go home now? Um, I’m starving.”

“Yeah, same. What do you want to have for dinner? Since you came, I’ll make whatever.”

\---------

When they got home Sokka made a beeline for the couch, plopping himself down and stretching out his long limbs. Zuko was a few paces behind him, his body exhausted, save for the line of electric current that still ran hot between his brain and his dick. He hadn’t been this horny in ages, and if he didn’t jerk off in the next ten minutes, he was sure he was going to combust. 

“Sokka, I’m just gonna go lie down a second while you make dinner—”

“Wait! I need you to do me a little favor.”

Fuck. “Yes?”

“Can you please, please, pretty please do a load of laundry? I’m out of, well, everything.”

Zuko’s dick groaned. “Sure.”

Sokka brought his dirty laundry to their washing machine, and Zuko followed suit with his own. Zuko was about to turn the machine on when Sokka came bounding up to him. In the intervening minute, he’d stripped off his workout clothes and changed into a loose tank and a pair of joggers.

“Can you throw these in too?”

He held out his hand, which clutched around the clothes he’d just been wearing. Zuko reached out and took them.

“You’re the best!!” He exclaimed as he bounded off towards the kitchen.

Zuko was frozen solid, his dick immediately celebrating what had just fell into his hands. Sokka’s workout clothes were still damp with sweat. Zuko’s brain short-wired, his dick taking full control of the situation. Their washing machine was in a hallway closet, just off the kitchen. Sokka was no more than fifteen feet away from him. His dick ignored all risk, willing his hands to separate out the blue boxer briefs Sokka had been wearing while they worked out and ball them into his fist, throwing the rest into the washing machine before starting it. Zuko was barely aware of what he was doing, only coming to a full realization when he was safely behind the door of his bedroom.

He looked down at his clutched hand, eyes wide again. He could feel the underwear’s dampness on his palm. Logic stepped in for just a split second, a part of his brain sending up red flares and sounding klaxons. You cannot do what you’re thinking about doing, Zuko, it’s disgusting. That is crossing SUCH a line. You absolutely cannot smell those. A larger, more powerful part of his brain successfully silenced his judgmental conscience, and before Zuko knew it, he brought Sokka’s underwear to his nose and inhaled deep. 

His cock swelled to full hardness in an instant, and Zuko began palming himself though his shorts with his other hand. He was leaning up against his door, keeping it closed, unable to make it the few feet to his bed before pulling out his cock and pumping it furiously. Nothing had ever turned him on like this. He’d never been so at the mercy of his dick. And he never imagined that he’d be fisting himself while silencing light moans with his friend’s sweaty underwear. His whole body shivered with every breath in. Normally, Zuko would take his time jerking off, edging himself over a good bit, taking time to tease his balls and his hole, to rub his foreskin all over his head while he was right on the brink of shooting. But not this time. This was a passionate, unstoppable, desperate moment, a complete surrender to the pleasure his friend’s smell was brewing inside of him. His fist was a blur on his cock, his knees buckling below him as his orgasm mounted. Right as he was about to shoot, he stuck out his tongue and tasted that part of the fabric that, minutes ago, had cradled Sokka’s cock. That pushed him over the edge, and Zuko had to bite down on the fabric to muffle the sound of his orgasm ripping through him as he shot out onto his bedroom floor. 

His head now feeling like it was stuffed with cotton balls, Zuko slowly slid down to the floor, aided by the support of his door. His bare ass hit the ground, the coldness of the floor bringing him back to reality, and Zuko saw the crumpled garment in his hand and his spent load streaking the floor. He normally felt gross after masturbating, but this was different. To say he was jerking off to Sokka was an understatement. He was not just fantasizing about his friend, something which, admittedly, happened from time to time. No, he’d crossed a line. But he was unwilling to give up his new prize, immediately walking over to his bedside table and shoving the underwear in his sex drawer. Quickly, he stripped off his clothes, used a random sock he found to clean up his shame, and wrapped a towel around his waist. He left his room, tiptoeing so as to avoid Sokka’s detection, and made his way to the bathroom to take a shower. 

He realized on his way that he should have put his own workout clothes in the laundry with Sokka’s (well, most of Sokka’s). He doubled back and put his own sweaty clothes on top of the washing machine, as if that counted as putting them in the wash. Whatever, he wasn’t mentally all there yet. 

\----------

When Zuko emerged from the shower, Sokka yelled at him to hurry up so they could eat. Zuko quickly threw on a pair of loose shorts and a t-shirt and came out to find Sokka standing above their dinner table, presenting the dinner he’d made. It looked amazing, some spicy tofu thing and a noodly thing and a bunch of other little veggies and whatever. Sokka was clearly ravenous, filling his plate the moment Zuko turned the corner. Zuko was also hungry, but the feeling was currently suborned to the strange feeling of looking at and talking to the man whose intoxicating sex was in Zuko’s nose not a half hour ago. Zuko shook it off, sitting down and willing himself to eat, to make everything seem normal.

After they ate, Sokka suggested they watch something dumb on TV. Some reality nonsense that Zuko couldn’t care less about, but he assented. Zuko got down on the couch first, Sokka following after him, spreading himself out lengthwise with his head on Zuko’s thigh. Perhaps it might have looked odd to anyone else, but this was actually a common position for them. Zuko liked to sit up with his legs on their coffee table, Sokka liked to lay down and use Zuko as a kind of cushion. 

Zuko had never thought anything of it, really, before today. But now he was feeling that burn develop in his crotch again as his friend’s face, for the second time that day, lay a short distance from his very-still-ready-to-go dick. Now, Zuko had to resist bucking his hips up, desperate for some kind of friction. He thought how long he’d have to wait there until it was acceptable for him to pretend to go to bed and instead stuff his mouth with Sokka’s underwear. He shook his head, trying to physically banish the thought. 

An episode passed, and Zuko was pleasantly surprised by how much he enjoyed it. He actually wanted to go on to the next episode, but Sokka said he wanted to go to bed instead. Something about an early meeting or whatever. Zuko didn’t mind. A whole extra hour of masturbating time just opened in front of him, after all. 

Sokka padded off to his room, calling goodnights behind him, and Zuko followed on his heels. His door was barely closed by the time he stripped off his shirt and shorts and climbed on top of his bed. Should be wait a little longer before indulging, just to make sure Sokka was asleep? Absolutely. Was his dick already hard and in his hands? Yes. And this time, Zuko meant to take it slow.

He opened his drawer and grabbed the underwear and some lube, careful to not get the latter on the former. He uncrumpled the underwear as best he could, just so he could tell where he was smelling. He turned them inside out, centering the still-a-little-damp crotch in his hand before raising it to his face. A quiet, deep moan eked out after his first inhale, somehow even stronger than before. His tongue darted at the fabric, tasting the salt of Sokka’s sweat as he pulled the smell of Sokka’s dick and balls into his nose. With his other hand he palmed at his slight pec, rubbing his thumb across one nipple. He took a quick second to move the underwear out of his face so he could see enough to put some lube into his palm before smearing it on his iron cock, his head and foreskin already slick with precum. He gently teased his head, swirling one fingertip under his foreskin, stroking slightly at the bundle of nerves on the underside of the head. Teasing was proving to be a bit overwhelming, though, and with each breath the desire to just grab ahold of himself and jerk off got more and more desperate. He took a rough hold of his shaft, bucking his hips up into his tight hand, pressing the hand with Sokka’s underwear harder and harder into his face, slowly growing aware that the garment would do little to muffle the sounds he felt brewing inside of him as he climbed up his pleasure. He was completely debauched, stark naked on his bed, toes curled, ecstatic face covered by the taboo spandex.

“Zuko you have to see this video Katara just sent me – OH FUCK, I’M SORRY!”

Zuko felt a grenade’s shockwave ripple through him. He couldn’t even look up to catch what he assumed was Sokka’s horrified face because his eyes were covered by the waistband of Sokka’s bright blue, unmistakable underwear. He made no quick movement to hide anything. It would have been useless. He was caught lube-handed. He expected Sokka to rush out of his room streaming apologies or curses, but Zuko could sense no such movement. Sokka was still in the room, presumably looking at this disgusting horny pig of a roommate. 

“Zuko… are you… are those?”

Zuko nodded. He still made no effort to remove Sokka’s underwear from his face. At least they did a little bit to make Zuko feel like he could hide.

“Holy shit… I… fuck.”

Zuko heard Sokka run out of the room. Reality hit him like lightning, and he shot up, clumsily put on his shorts, and ran after Sokka. He had no plan on how to fix this, but he was going to try his best? Maybe? There was really no fixing this, but he couldn’t let Sokka run away. 

He reached the hallway before he and Sokka practically smacked into one another. Sokka, apparently, had been coming back to his room.

“Sokka, I can explain… well maybe I can I don’t know—”

Sokka stood above him, seeming like he was suddenly much taller than he usually was. He took a step forward, urging Zuko back towards his room. He looked down at Zuko, biting his lower lip. 

“What, you’re going to explain how you were getting off with my sweaty underwear in your face? What, did that just fall from the ceiling right as I walked in?”

Zuko shook his head, still walking backwards.

“So, what, Zuko, you jack off thinking about me often? About how I smell? How about what I taste like? Did you get some of that tonight?”

Zuko was still looking at Sokka like a deer in headlights. “Sokka I… not usually but… sometimes.”

“When you do, what do you think about? Do you think about me shoving your face into my crotch? Do you think about sucking my dick? How about laying below me as I fucked into you? As I came inside of you?”

Somehow, Zuko was getting hard again. But he was also incredibly confused. Sokka seemed… mad, but not, like, mad mad? He felt as though he couldn’t possibly hide anything from his friend anymore, so he just nodded.

“Sometimes… fuck Sokka I didn’t mean for this to happen like this… just tell me what you’re thinking.”

They’d made it to Zuko’s room now. Zuko’s back was pressed against the doorframe. Sokka lifted his hand to place it on the wall above Sokka’s head. He leaned in to Zuko’s ear and whispered, slowly pressing his body into him.

“I’m thinking… something about great minds?”

Sokka lifted his other hand to Zuko’s face. In it was the pair of maroon boxer briefs Zuko had been wearing earlier, the pair he left on the washing machine. Sokka brought them to his face and took a deep inhale.

“Shut the fuck up, Sokka.”

Sokka smiled at him.

“I had you there, for a second, huh? Thinking I was mad at you. This is crazy. But earlier, when we were stretching, I just… you smelled so fucking incredible. I had to have more.”

“Are you kidding me? I was feeling the same way. I’ve never… I’ve never taken anything of yours before. I just… after that… Fuck, Sokka, you turned me on so much at the gym. I just need… I can’t turn it off.”

“Well, Zuko, I’d be lying if I said this was my first time taking something of yours. I… may have done this a few times before.”

“What? Really?”

Sokka smiled at him. “Why do you think I bought you all that tight-fitting workout gear? I know you think you do all the laundry, Zuko, but I do it sometimes, too, you know. A few months ago, I found a pair of your underwear covered in cum… was it yours or Jet’s? There was so much cum, Zuko, fuck, I held on to those for weeks.”

“It was mine, definitely. I usually… keep one pair to clean up for a while.”

“Good. I wouldn’t want Jet’s jizz anywhere near me. Do you know how hard it was to hear you fucking him all the time? These walls are so thin, forget about when we were back in school. I could practically hear the slide of his cock as he fucked you. You were always so loud, are you going to be loud for me?”

Zuko nodded. “Shit, Sokka, I’ll be as loud as you want. Never took you for the jealous type, though.”

“I just know I can fuck you better than he can. I can be everything for you, Zuko, that Jet wasn’t.” 

“I don’t want you to be anything like Jet, Zuko. Jet was just for sex. This is… fuck, I don’t know. What is it when you want to fuck your best friend for a week straight. Love?”

Sokka laughed. “That’s a start. I can’t explain it, Zuko. You’ve always… smelled like that to me. I’ve never been able to shake it, the feeling I get when you’re close to me, when you touch me… Why do you think my head is in your lap every night?”

“Fuck, Sokka, I didn’t even think you liked guys.”

“I don’t know about guys. But I do know how I feel about one guy. And I’m gonna kiss him now, okay?”

Zuko nodded, uselessly, as Sokka’s lips pressed hard into him before he could really move. Zuko’s heart started pounding out of his chest. This should be so weird, so wrong, but he was on fire, not a care in the world other than getting into Sokka’s pants. He broke off the kiss for a second to bury his face in Sokka’s neck.

“Zuko, please, now that I’ve seen you… like that… I need more. Are you, are you ready to give me that?”

Zuko nodded into Sokka’s neck.

“Tell me what you want me to do, Zuko.”

Zuko’s nails dug into Sokka’s back, the soft purr of his words making him dizzy with lust, as if they were stroking his cock. 

“I want… I want to suck you off. And I want you to suck me off. And then I want to rim you, and I want you to rim me. And… fuck, Sokka, I want everything, all at the same time. All right now. You have to decide where to begin, I can’t.”

“Well, I have thought about it a few times… How about I throw you on the bed, we both get naked, and then you lick me clean? I still haven’t showered, you know…”

Zuko whimpered, nodding. All of a sudden, he felt hands on the outsides of his thighs, and he had just enough time to throw his arms around Zuko’s neck before he was being lifted, carried the five feet to his bed, and then tossed onto it, as if he weighed nothing. Zuko had not seen this side of Sokka before, and he was really fucking into it. He’d never considered himself much of a sub, but if Sokka was going to be the dominant one here, he was definitely not complaining. 

Sokka eyed him hungrily from above, palming himself through his pants before crouching down to kiss at Zuko’s hips, licking up Zuko’s slender abs as he slowly pulled his shorts down. Zuko’s cock slapped against his stomach. Sokka was basically eye level with the head of his cock how, and Sokka quickly went to take Zuko’s head in his mouth, giving it a swirl of his tongue before licking down his shaft to his balls. 

“Fuck, Zuko, I’m so mad you showered.” He said, right before biting down hard on Zuko’s inner thigh, causing him to yelp. 

Breathless, he was able to get out, “I’m… sorry, Sokka. If you’re gonna treat me like that, though, I’m happy to revisit my daily shower rule. And maybe even… fuck, go for more runs.”

Sokka looked up at him with a smile, his nose rubbing gently against Zuko’s balls. He took another inhale before grabbing behind Zuko’s knees and throwing his legs behind him, exposing Zuko’s hole. Sokka helped himself to one slow, desperate lick across Zuko’s ass. 

“Sokka please! Fuck I need… You said something about me licking you clean?”

“Sorry, got distracted. Your ass, Zuko, fuck. It’s so much more beautiful than I expected. And tastes like… I’m gonna fuck you tonight.”

Zuko bit his bottom lip, nodding. “Yes, Sokka, please. You can fuck me all you want. But please, I haven’t… I haven’t seen you yet.”

“You want to see me? You want to see how hard you make me?”

Zuko nodded.

“You want to taste me?”

More nods.

“You can have whatever you want, Zuko. And when you’re done, I’m coming back to this ass, and I’m going to finish what I started.”

Sokka laid down on the bed next to Zuko and put his arms behind his head.

“Go ahead, Zuko. Take what you want.”

Zuko wasn’t sure where he wanted to start. Sokka looked so beautiful lying next to him, all wide shoulders and flat, taut muscles. His toned chest led down to a slender waist, ab muscles prominently on display, underneath a dark treasure trail which led down to the waistband of Sokka’s joggers. Zuko lifted himself up and swung his leg around Sokka’s waist, straddling him. He took a moment to rub his cock into Sokka’s abs, to grind his ass down on Sokka’s clothed cock. 

Zuko brought his face down towards Sokka’s, on the way getting distracted by Sokka’s smell, which he realized was coming from his exposed armpits. Laying one hand on Sokka’s left pec, Zuko brought his face to Sokka’s right armpit, giving it a gentle lick at first, before lapping greedily at Sokka’s coarse hair. Sokka purred beneath him, thrusting once into Zuko’s ass. Sokka clearly liked that.

“There’s more where that came from, Zuko. You want me to just jump you every time I come back from the gym? Fuck, I’ll do the same to you.”

Zuko could tell that Sokka was almost delirious from the attention, his face and body flushed underneath his golden skin. 

“I’ll.. fuck Zuko I’ll eat you out every time you step through that door. You want that?”

Zuko nodded, his face now in Sokka’s left armpit. 

“And you… can do the same for me. Does… does fucking you count as a household task? I just want to make sure we’re still even there. I can fuck you more, to make up for some of my other failings.”

Zuko bit down hard on Sokka’s nipple.

“That’s not funny. And yes, you can fuck me more.”

Sokka laughed, bringing one of his hands down to card through Zuko’s hair, gently pushing him down from his armpit towards his crotch. 

“Take my pants off, Zuko.”

He didn’t need to be told twice. But he did want one more moment of mystery before Sokka was laid bare to him. He pressed his face into Sokka’s crotch, feeling his hard cock press against his cheek, and breathed him in. He palmed Sokka’s head through the fabric while he mouthed at his shaft. Through with teasing, Zuko grabbed on to Sokka’s waistband and pulled down. Sokka’s cock, so fucking fat and beautiful, smacked onto his abs before coming to stand straight into the air.

But Zuko was equally interested in Sokka’s balls, laying loose stuck to his inner thigh, and perhaps even more interested in what lay further below. Slowly, knowing that this was the source of his sexual high, Zuko brought his face down to Sokka’s balls, gently prodding them with his nose before licking a stripe down the middle, going all the way up to Sokka’s cock. 

Zuko was in heaven. Sokka tasted like a million orgasms, like every conceivable pheromone distilled into one body part. He lapped at Sokka’s balls while above him Sokka began to stroke himself, slowly pulling his foreskin up and down his head. Zuko wanted to swallow Sokka whole, but he had one last destination in mind. 

Just as Sokka had just done to him, Zuko lifted Sokka’s legs up from behind his knees. Right in front of him was Sokka’s beautiful hole, surrounded by a dusting of dark hair. 

“Sokka, when I start to rim you, you’re gonna have to stop me, okay? I’ll just go all night.”

“Deal. I still have a date with your ass, remember.”

Zuko dove in, foregoing the light teasing in favor of sinking his tongue hard into Sokka’s hole, causing the other man to bite his knuckles to keep from crying out. Sokka’s breathing hitched with every swipe of Zuko’s tongue. Zuko knew how good he was at eating ass. 

After spreading Sokka’s cheeks and licking circles around his hole a few times, Zuko had an idea. “Think we could try it at the same time?”

Sokka cocked his head, thinking about it a bit before nodding. He flipped himself around after Zuko let him down. Zuko stayed laying down, and Sokka brought his ass over to sit on Zuko’s face. Sokka could swear he saw a bead of precum drip down Zuko’s cock at that moment. Sokka tried his best to pull Zuko’s hole towards his mouth, but the angle was a little off. He settled for burying his face in Zuko’s balls and going over them as Zuko had just done to him. Zuko loved this, moaning right into Sokka’s ass – he had a thing for having his balls played with. 

“Zuko I, fuck, I’ve never done any of this before. I thought I’d be so nervous but this just feels so right. Am I doing okay?”

A first crack in Sokka’s otherwise confident dom attitude. He nodded against Sokka’s ass, breaking from his tongue work to move to the side and bite down hard on Sokka’s cheek, leaving a bit of a mark. As he did that, Sokka squeezed Zuko’s cock, and Zuko pushed his hips off the bed in search of more. 

Sokka brought his head down to Zuko’s cock, tentatively lapping at Zuko’s head as he moved his foreskin up and down. Then he slowly began to sink down on Zuko’s cock. He couldn’t get far at first without a little choking, but each time he tried, he got down further. It wasn’t long before his nose was almost in Zuko’s pubes. 

“Fuck Sokka, you sure you’ve never sucked cock before? I’ve been with a few first-timers, none of them have been able to take that much of me.”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” he said, with a wink over his shoulder. 

Sokka was actually doing a good job, keeping a balance of suction and motion, of wetness and friction. And, as promised, Zuko was being as loud as ever, without really realizing that he was moaning loudly into Sokka’s ass. Zuko did think it was a little odd, spooky even, how well they fit together sexually. From the same secret turn-ons to the relatively seamless sex, so far, things were looking up. Zuko really just couldn’t wait to push Sokka down on the bed and ride him until morning. 

Which is exactly what he wanted to do, right that moment. He didn’t get enough of a chance to blow Sokka, but he had a feeling there would be other opportunities. And he’d like to have been eaten out and stretched a bit more before taking in Sokka’s sizeable cock, but there was no time left. Zuko had to get that man inside him STAT. He slid down the bed, out from under Sokka’s ass, until they were both on their knees on the bed. Zuko pushed Sokka down, straddling him higher this time. Zuko’s cock ended up slapping him in the face, which Sokka seemed to love. 

“Are we really doing this, Zuko?”

“Last chance to back out. I’ll pretend I just didn’t eat your ass for twenty minutes if you promise to forget you saw me writhing under your underwear.”

“Not a fucking chance. I’ve been waiting so long to do this, I just can’t believe you’re here, that I’m touching you, tasting you… Christ, Zuko, that I’m about to fuck you. You’re about to ride me. Zuko. Best friend since freshman year…”

Zuko grabbed him by the sides of his face, pulling him into a kiss. “I don't think we're best friends anymore. You cook all the meals, I do all the laundry, and then we fuck each other all night long. We’re fucking married.”

Sokka smiled, nodding as he bit his lip in that adorable Sokka way. 

Zuko reached over into his nightstand and grabbed the lube he was using earlier, spreading some on his cock and some more in and around his hole. He lined Sokka up with his hole and slowly started sinking down. 

Zuko was seeing stars with every inch of Sokka’s fat cock, but the expression on Sokka’s face suggested that he’d left his body. Eyes half shut, giant stupid grin on his face, his hands digging in hard to Zuko’s waist. Zuko reached up behind Sokka’s head, pulling his hair slightly. 

“You gotta stay with the program, Sokka. I know my ass is incredible… fuck, so is your cock. Was it always this big? Like, always?”

Sokka nodded, coming back to life as he fully slid into Zuko. Zuko stayed down for a moment, adjusting to Sokka’s size, before grabbing onto Sokka’s shoulders and slowly rising himself up Sokka’s cock. He wanted to torture him for a bit before he really got to work, slowly stroking Sokka’s cock with his ass, moaning softly into Sokka’s ear, letting him know he was doing a great job. 

Then he started to pick up the pace, bouncing on Sokka’s cock in earnest, steadying himself with his hands on Sokka’ knees in a bit of a back-bend. His chest was splayed out, Sokka apparently fixated by the slight curve of Zuko’s pecs. He brought one hand up to cup Zuko’s chest, the other to Zuko’s cock, which he stroked in rhythm. Zuko was worried Sokka hadn’t taken a proper breath in a while, just letting out a constant stream of satisfied grunts and choked moans. Or maybe that was him? It was hard to tell. 

Sokka was slowly becoming more alert, getting more accustomed to his position and his role. He leaned forward, pulling Zuko into a kiss, and wrapped his arms around Zuko’s back, digging his nails in. Zuko, panting now, stopped riding Sokka, signaling to him that it was time for him to put in some work. Sokka bit down on Zuko’s neck before laying back down, grasping Zuko’s thighs, and he began to fuck up into Zuko. This, Zuko realized, is where a runner’s stamina could really come in handy. Zuko loved to watch Sokka below him, his abs flexing with every thrust, his eyes cast up to meet Zuko’s, hungry moans escaping barely through a bitten lower lip. Zuko couldn’t tell if he thought Sokka was gonna roar or cry, or maybe both. Fuck, he was about to do both. Sokka could fuuuuck. Girth times speed times holy shit how have they both not cum yet was a good recipe. 

Sokka was starting to signal that he was getting close. His thrusts were becoming more frantic, his grip on Zuko’s thigh less steady, and Zuko could see a slight tremble in his lips. 

“Sokka.”

“Fuck… yes?”

“Are you going to cum for me?”

“Fuck, I think so…”

“Are you going to cum inside me?”

Sokka nodded. “Please? Can I?”

Zuko smiled down at him, cupping his face for one last kiss before nodding and pushing him back down on the bed. 

Sokka smiled back up at him and, with even more power than before, kept pounding into Zuko, chasing his orgasm. After a few good strokes, he let out a choking sob as his body tensed. Zuko could feel each pulse of Sokka’s cock inside of him, each rope of cum he shot into his ass. In the middle of his ecstasy, though, Sokka brought himself back up, wrapping one hand around Zuko’s neck to pull him into a kiss, the other hand around Zuko’s cock. Zuko realized then how close he was, and after just a few strokes he was shooting all over Sokka abs. 

Zuko collapsed forward on top of Sokka, both of them out of breath. 

“Sokka, you know how rude it is that you made me exercise twice in one day?”

“Yeah. And I’m sorry about this second time, love, I wasn’t wearing any underwear for you to steal.”

Zuko shoved him, slowly pulling himself off Sokka’s softening cock and coming to rest on his bed next to Sokka. Sokka couldn’t help but move his body perpendicular to Zuko’s, resting his head on Zuko’s thigh. He laid his face right on top of a big glob of Zuko’s cum. Sokka smiled, lifting himself up for a second to lap up whatever was left. 

“So, what do we do now?”

“Well, I think this room smells like sex and sweat enough now that we can probably keep our hands on our own undies, thank you very much. If we just keep fucking in here, well we’ll always smell like this.”

“So, you want to keep fucking?”

“Zuko, did I not make that unbelievably clear? That was the best sex I’ve ever had.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, dummy. Loud, hot, dirty, sweaty sex with the most beautiful man in the world who happens to live in my house? Who has a magic ass and a cock I want to suffocate around? You think I’m gonna say no to that?”

Zuko shot him a squinting look.

“Okay, fine. I might like you a bit, too.”

“I like you a bit too. Think I’ll be able to get you to start doing chores by withholding sex?”

“You have nothing close to that amount of willpower, babe.”

Sokka was right. Fuck.


	2. A Weekend Away

Zuko was hunched over his tablet for the, like, fifth straight hour. He’d put off this project for too long - he was, well, a bit distracted these days - and had to get a whole bunch of stuff to a client by Monday morning. Some dumb company rebrand he couldn’t care less about, but he kept his eye on the prize.

He was finally able to spend some time on the project because Sokka was away that weekend visiting some friends, something for which he was not exactly _grateful_ , per se, but he desperately needed some force to intervene on his behalf and separate his mouth from Sokka’s cock for a few hours.

Since their, what are they calling it, discovery, a few weeks ago, the two had become even more inseparable than usual. They hadn’t had many, like, feelings talks, but Sokka had started spending every night in Zuko’s bed. Sokka would wake him up with a kiss every morning. Sokka would rush home every day after work and Zuko would be waiting for him, basically growling with horny anticipation, ready to rip his clothes off. Sometimes they just fucked right there in the hallway, Sokka still half in his work outfit.

This weekend away was the first time they were really apart since the start of their, whatever. They both put on a brave face beforehand, playing it cool, not a big deal, no separation anxiety there, no sir. Not them. Bye Sokka, bye Zuko, see you whenever.

The second Sokka left, Zuko’s cool demeanor collapsed. He initially chalked it up to staring a harsh, seventy-two-hour sex break in the face. He immediately wanted to chase after Sokka and pull him back in for one more go, even though they’d had sex like, an hour before. But if he was being really honest with himself, he was dreading sleeping alone. He was dreading watching TV on the couch alone, no head resting on his thigh. He was dreading picking up after only himself. It was an odd situation, the transition from best friends to something more. Or whatever.

Thankfully, he had this dumb project to take his mind off everything, which worked fine if he took regular breaks to rub one out with Sokka’s workout gear – which he now had free access to and which were under a questionable but enjoyable laundry embargo – splayed across his face. He’d actually been able to get a lot done that way, and, by 2AM on Saturday night, was just around the corner from finishing the project and a well-deserved but surely-unsatisfying sleep.

Or so he thought. His phone buzzed on his desk. Sokka.

**hiiiiii**

_What’s up?_

**oh, you know. i’m at some big party Suki dragged me to, don’t know anyone but there was plenty of free booze so, check**

****

_Sounds much better than my night. I’ve been working on this logo for, like, hours. Please just tell me to go to sleep._

**nope**

_Why not?_

**i don’t want you to go to sleep**

_Yeah?_

**yeah i want you to stay up and talk to me**

_You drunk?_

**maaaaayyybbeeeeeee**

Zuko smiled at his phone. He was so fucked.

**mostly i just wish you were here. lots of new faces and places. none of them zuko**

_Oh I’m sure Suki’s taking good care of you._

**a little too good. she keeps introducing me to her girlfriends, i think she’s trying to set me up**

_And you’re not taking the bait?_

**nope. not even a little bit**

_Suki have bad taste in friends?_

**you know that’s not why**

Zuko gulped. Yes, yes he did.

_She must be disappointed that you hoe-ing days are over_

**oh she is. she’s on my case about it. she thinks i’m seeing someone.**

_What did you tell her?_

**i told her i was**

_Really? Who is it?_

**stfu, dick. you knooooooowwww what im talking aboooouuuuuttttt**

Yes, yes he did.

_Sokka, you couldn’t possibly be talking about me, are you? Not Zuko, your mysterious roommate with the gorilla-grip ass! Not Zuko, your maid/sex slave!_

**fuck you can’t talk to me about your ass rn**

_No? You’ve never said that to me before._

**i fucking love you**

….

**IT**

**I LOVE IT**

**fuck i am drunk. and now im horny**

Zuko smiled at his phone. He got all flushed and hot at that first text, and it only got worse as Sokka kept talking.

_Maybe you should go home with one of Suki’s friends after all. Take care of that problem._

**no one here**

**ummmmmmmm**

**no one here smells like you**

**no one here. fuck idk. none of them are Zuko, my maid/sex slave**

By this point, Zuko had abandoned his project, opting instead to lay down on their bed and gently palm his growing erection.

_Yeah that’s true. None of them are Zuko. I get the feeling, none of the dozen guys I’ve had come over and rail me this weekend were Sokka._

**fuck off**

**im serious. not a single person was doing it for me**

**but now you’ve got me thinking about your ass**

**how am i supposed to just sit here at this party and what**

**talk to people?**

**when all i can think about is clapping your cheeks?**

Zuko could practically hear it in his ears, the sound of Sokka smacking into him, the sound of his gritted-teeth grunts as he buried him face in Zuko’s pits. He could feel a wet spot form on his underwear. And then he had a great idea.

_What, these cheeks?_

Zuko sent Sokka a picture he just took, standing in front of his mirror with his underwear pulled down just enough for Sokka to see the cleft of his ass.

**ghweoirgdks**

**stop seriously**

**i’ll come home right now**

_Don’t make any promises you can’t keep, babe_

**suki just asked me if i was okay. apparently i started breathing really heavy**

**what r u doing rn?**

Zuko sent him a picture of his tented shorts.

_What do you think?_

**FUCK**

**NOT COOL**

**you just made me spit up my drink.**

**suki figured it out immediately**

**asked me if I was sexting my boyfriend**

_What did you tell her?_

**u know what I told her**

Zuko’s face flushed, and he gripped his cock through his shorts just a little harder than he did before. He loved teasing Sokka.

_I got hard the second you texted me_

**i got hard the second you responded**

**just seeing your picture pop up on my phone**

_Like, contact photo? Or the one later?_

**contact photo**

**its just us from the beach last year**

**you’re wearing that little red speedo**

**fuck i need you to find that by the time i get back. you look so fucking sexy in it.**

Zuko didn’t need to look for it, it was right in his drawer. He quickly threw it on, positioning his erection so it pointed off to the side along his hip. Sokka was right, he did look good in these. His cock looked amazing in red, and he turned around and, yep, so did his ass. He laid back down on the bed, cupping himself while he snapped another picture to Sokka.

**this isn’t funny anymore**

**suki is actively mad at me**

**i think i might have actually moaned when you sent that**

**shes telling me that i did and that im making a scene**

**idc i cant help but make a scene over you**

Zuko was loving this. He and Sokka were so quick to fuck into one another that they didn’t have much time to play with sexual tension. Zuko’s body felt like he was on fire, and he lazily circled one nipple while he typed with the other hand

_Want me to leave it on until you get back?_

**yes**

_Want me to cum in it?_

**YES**

**stop you have to stop**

**my hands are like shaking**

**why did we think we could go this long apart**

_Idk, but I think we fucked up_

**ur coming everywhere with me from now on**

**that way, when im stuck at a party like this**

**i can throw you against a wall and kiss you in front of everyone**

**and then find some empty bedroom**

_You want to kiss me in front of everyone?_

**i don’t want anyone thinking they had a chance with u**

Zuko blushed some more.

_They don’t._

**yeah but i want them to know**

**and maybe i want them to hear me screwing ur brains out**

**theres no way ud be quiet**

Zuko was on cloud nine. This tension was delicious. He slowly teased at his foreskin through the spandex of the swimsuit, a dark spot growing at the edge of his hip where his head strained against the fabric

_Fuck, Sokka_

_No, I wouldn’t be_

_Are you still hard?_

**i had to sit down**

**i don’t think ill be able to get back up**

**or my cock is gonna rip through my jeans**

Zuko reached down and freed just his head from its spandex confinement. It shot out of the bathing suit, slick with precum, his foreskin pulled down a bit by the pressure. He tapped his finger to the head, spreading a string of precum. Click.

**no no no no**

**come on Zuko**

**this is getting mean**

_What? I can’t send my best friend pictures of my weeping cock? It’s his fault I’m like this. His fault this is the longest time I’ve gone without having sex in weeks._

_I’ve had to jack off like every hour just so I could still think straight_

_Not enough tho. Can’t quite scratch the itch._

**what do you think would do it**

_Oh, I don’t know, probably your tongue in my ass_.

**i just spat out my drink**

**ur getting punished when i get home**

_Oh yeah?_

**yeah**

**gonna tie you to the bed**

**stuff my underwear in your mouth**

**and ride you fucking slow**

Christ. Zuko almost unconsciously bent his legs, his teasing fingers moving down to prod at his hole through the speedo

**and after you cum in me**

**ill cum on your face**

**and just leave you there while i make dinner**

_Fuck, Sokka, you’re just making this worse for yourself_

_You gonna cum in your pants?_

**im not done**

**while dinners in the oven ill come back**

**and ride ur face while u eat your load out of me**

**and ill blow u**

**but i wont let u cum**

_Sounds like a just punishment._

Zuko turned over on his stomach and slid the speedo down his ass. With some practiced skill, he was able to snap a video of himself playing with his hole. Sent.

**ur lucky i was in the bathroom when u sent that**

Sokka sent back a picture of his cock, red and leaking, jutting out from pulled-down jeans, his foreskin pulled all the way down. Fuck, he had a beautiful cock.

_You look like you’re about to bust, babe._

_If I was there_

_I’d get on my knees and suck your brain right through your cock_

_No one would be coming into that bathroom for a while_

_We’re the worst party guests_

Sokka sent a video this time. He was slowly stroking his cock over the sink. Zuko could hear choked moaning and heavy breathing. Zuko decided that, if Sokka was going to be jacking off in earnest, so would he. He sent Sokka a similar video. He didn’t pull the speedo all the way down, just hooked it under his balls. All the better to collect some of his smell for Sokka. And he didn’t try to stifle his moans either, loudly and clearly saying into the phone’s microphone how much he wished Sokka was there, to fucking rail him all night, to cum in his ass, to slap his face with his cock. He hoped Sokka had forgotten to turn the volume down on his phone.

**okay yeah everyone heard that**

_Not even a little sorry_

_That’s what you’d be doing if you were here, after all_

_And then we’d switch and I’d do it to you_

_And then it would be morning_

_And you’d go for a run_

_And I’d wait for you to come back, hard the entire time, craving the smell of your sweat_

Zuko was shaking as he typed now, his fist a blur over his cock, his hips bucking up off the bed in search of more friction.

His phone started buzzing harder now. Sokka was FaceTime-ing him. Zuko accepted the call to see Sokka’s cock in hand. He switched the camera around so Sokka could see him stroking himself.

“Fuck Zuko, I fucking hate you. I’m gonna cum, please tell me you can cum with me.”

“Yes, fuck, yes Sokka I can cum.”

“Good, ‘cuz I-, I-“

And Sokka was shooting out into the bathroom sink. Rope after rope of cum streaked the basin, and Zuko heard the strained, spent exhale of Sokka’s held breath releasing. He was over the edge then, repeating Sokka’s name over and over while he came like a train ran into him. His first shot flew up and landed on his cheek, the next hit his phone right in the camera, a half dozen more coating his pecs and abs. He had no idea where all that cum came from.

  
Sokka flipped the camera around and blew a kiss at him before hanging up.

**suki was knocking on the door, had to clean up fast**

**that was so fucking hot**

**how are you so fucking hot zuko**

**i mean come on**

**ive never been so turned on in my life and ur not even here**

**i think im getting hard again**

Zuko took a moment to remove the speedo, using it to quickly wipe the cum off his chest. He snapped a picture of the rope of cum on his face, then another of the soaked speedo in his hand, and sent them both off.

_It’s a gift_

**okay im definitely hard now**

**but i gotta go back or suki’s gonna make me sleep outside**

**but i want to do more of this**

**take some more pics for me**

_Sure, babe_

**im coming home monday night**

**clear your schedule tuesday**

**im taking off work**

**were gonna make up for lost time**

_Anything you want_

**and maybe this is just the alcohol and the cum talking**

**but at some point**

**in between fucking each other**

**i want us to have a talk about what were doing**

Gulp.

**idk what you’re thinking**

**and i don’t want to have a whole thing over text**

**but i really like you, Zuko**

**i don’t want u to be my maid/sex slave with the gorilla-grip ass**

**i want u to be my boyfriend/maid/sex slave with the gorilla-grip ass**

Zuko smiled, shaking some more, but for a different reason than before.

_Sure, love. We can talk about it. Now go have fun with your friends_.

**fuck**

**you called me love**

**okay**

**goodnight, love.**


	3. Welcome Home

Zuko was getting antsy. Very antsy. Not quite the right word. There was just a lot going on for him for four in the afternoon on a Monday. Sokka would be home in an hour. He stayed Sunday night at Suki’s, getting up early on Monday to go straight in to work. Just one more hour. Totally doable.

This particular anxiety was balled up Zuko’s stomach, a middle ground between the almost unbearable tingle of sexual anticipation and the frayed nerves of his heart. Sokka was going to come home, ravish him as per usual, and then they were going to have a talk. _A talk_.

One side of Zuko’s brain didn’t think this was all that scary. Zuko wanted more. Sokka clearly wanted more. Putting a label on their feelings was like giving a name to oxygen – something always already there regardless of its identification or classification. Moving their… relationship in any concrete direction doesn’t change the facts on the ground. They’d gone to sleep every night for the past month in each other’s arms. Kissed every moment they were together. Always some part of them was touching. Zuko’s heart melted when Sokka looked up at him from his lap.

Still, Zuko was a bit taken aback by it all. He was awful at love, never really had a good relationship until, he guessed, now. He was waaaay better at casual sex. Okay, maybe not. Maybe he was better at something in between. Like Jet. Jet, Zuko knew, was head over heels for him. Zuko felt awful about that. They’d met on some app, went on a few dates, but Zuko never really felt much of a spark. He liked the guy well enough, but Jet was always the one taking the initiative – planning dates, texting first, telling Zuko how he was feeling. Zuko couldn’t match pace. Not that he’d had a lot of other relationships, or crushes or pinings or whatever, to compare to how he felt about Jet, but he just knew that he wasn’t the one. And Zuko was unequivocal with Jet on this point. Well, unequivocal might be too strong a word. Is it still an unequivocal denial of feelings if you hit them up every few months for a weekend sex marathon?

But these feelings he had for Sokka were, clearly, in a different realm altogether. Zuko was crystal clear on how he felt about Sokka, no denial possible, or even necessary. Sokka, he imagined, was also crystal clear on how he felt about Zuko. What surprised Zuko, though, was the sudden-ness of it all. Yes, of course, he’d fantasized about his hot hot best friend in the past. When he caught a glimpse of Sokka coming out of the shower, or when Sokka would spend the day lounging on the couch in his underwear, or those few times he would overhear Sokka jacking off. But Zuko had always chalked that up to a kind of deterministic horny brain pathway. Hot dude doing hot stuff equals boner, boner plus hand plus imagining that hot dude doing hot stuff to his body equals orgasm. But to go from that to full-blown heart-in-eyeballs, stomach-flipping, can’t-take-his-eyes-off, cum-drunk love over the course of a few weeks was insane.

Well, it was insane on its face. Zuko had to concede the fact that, during his five years as Sokka’s best friend and, in particular, their years as roommates, he had made absolutely zero effort to engage in any kind of romantic relationship. None. He made a good show of it, going on dates and whatever, but, for a lack of a better phrase, his heart was never in it. Really, he was just doing it for his dick. He only went out with guys he knew were going to press him into a mattress at the end of the night. Or Jet. The truth was that Zuko, all this time, never wanted for a relationship. There was no hole in his life that a special person could fill, not bouts of longing for emotional companionship, for feeling loved. _He had felt loved the entire time_. In all those years Zuko didn’t go a single day without someone asking how he was, making him laugh, pulling him into a hug, laying their head on his lap, making sure he ate. Sokka was the first person he went to with any joy or pain. Sokka was his cheerleader, his confidant, his inseparable partner. And he was the same for Sokka, plus some laundry and vacuuming. Zuko was beginning to realize that Sokka has actually been his boyfriend for years. Someone like Jet just needed to come in every once and a while and fill in the small hole left by their to-that-point platonic relationship, and now that was out the window. And if he was being completely, totally honest with himself, he would have to also concede that he felt an indelible pang whenever he saw Sokka pull some girl into his room, or hear him talk about going on a date, or anything like that. He had convinced himself that it was just icky-best-friend-I-can’t-think-about-your-sex-life stuff, but as sure as he was, now, that he’d been in love with Sokka for years, he was also sure that that feeling was pure, unrefined jealousy.

If it hadn’t ended the way that it did, all of this might have been a bit pathetic, Zuko thought. He could have woken up one day realizing he was in love with his ostensibly straight best friend for years and it could have been completely unrequited. He could have suffered under the clichéd torture of longing for someone so close, yet so far, someone so intimate but still inevitably distanced. If he was grateful for anything in his life, any single thing, it is that by some miracle it seemed that Sokka was coming to the same realization at the same time. A once-in-a-lifetime convergence. Zuko would never admit it out loud, but he took it as a clear sign that he and Sokka were meant to be together. Forever. But he was willing to take it a day at a time, for now.

And on that particular day, two items remained on his to-do list. Get railed, and tell Sokka how he felt. No biggie. Forty-five minutes left.

The tingle of his anxiety got progressively lower down his body as the clock moved towards five. Zuko had come up with a brilliant surprise for Sokka after their sexting the other night (which, of course proceeded throughout the following day, causing Zuko to stay up all Sunday night finishing that dumb project), and he was so excited to spring it on him that he’d perhaps gotten ready a little too early. Now he had nothing to do but scroll on his phone and wish the minutes away in horny agony. Tick tock, tick tock.

Finally, the distant sound of a key in a lock, a tumbler turned over.

“Zukoooooo, I’m hooooooome.”

“In the living room!”

“I really expected you to be waiting at the door for me on your…. ohfuck”

Sokka dropped his bag on the ground, followed immediately by his jaw.

“No way, Zuko, there’s no fucking way I’m this lucky.”

Sokka came into the living room to find Zuko splayed out on the couch wearing only the tiny, red, cum-stained speedo. One hand was behind his head, showing off one pit, the other hand gently stroking the tip of his hard cock through the red spandex.

“You are this lucky, Sokka. Now, are you just gonna look, or…”

Zuko felt his heart freeze for a second as Sokka _literally_ ripped his own shirt off, only to be caught for a moment stuck in his pants. He’s always the perfect combination of hotter-than-hot and irredeemably-goofy. After he fumbled his way out of his pants, he got on his knees in between Zuko’s, his torso tall enough so that he could lean over and bury his face into his exposed pit, his other hand slowly creeping up the inside of Zuko’s opposite thigh.

Muffled a bit, Sokka managed to get out, “Okay I actually wasn’t home a second ago.” Giving Zuko’s cock a gentle squeeze, he added, “Now… now I’m home.”

Zuko threw his head back, nodding, ready to let his lover take advantage of this opportunity to explore his body. He raised his other hand behind his head and spread his legs a little wider. Sokka moved to bite at Zuko’s nipple, prompting a small yelp. He swirled his tongue around a few times, looking up at Zuko.

“Babe you have such an incredible body… how… you hate working out… its fucking ridiculous.”

Zuko, breathless with anticipation, managed to eeek out, “I try to only eat three meals a day, and none of them are Skittles. You wouldn’t have to…. fuck why are we talking about this right now?”

Sokka traced a line between Zuko’s slight but firm pecs, doing down to make light laps around his abs. Sokka makes up for his lack of dietary discipline with a strict workout regimen, leaving him with a good advantage over Zuko in muscle mass. Zuko might be effortlessly toned, but Sokka was solid, lean muscle, a hard, triangular torso prominently topped with two broad panes of pectorals.

“Because all I ever want to do is talk about your body.” And, punctuated by light kisses going down Zuko’s chest, he added, “I want to talk about it. Taste it. Smell it. Cum on it. You name it.”

“Fuck, Sokka, get to it then, this is killing me.”

Sokka’s face was by the waistband of Zuko’s speedo now.

“Oh I’m getting to it. But you can’t expect to greet me like this and not have me take my time,” he said, nosing into Zuko’s covered balls. “This is all I’m ever going to see when I close my eyes. You with your legs spread for me, hard cock covered by this little skimpy cumrag, arms flexed behind your head like that.” He stuck out his tongue and licked an exploratory stripe across the mound of Zuko’s balls. “But I wouldn’t mind hearing you beg for it some more.”

Sokka turned his head to bite down onto the soft insides of Zuko’s thighs. Hard enough to make Zuko’s cock jump, to leave a mark.

“Please, Sokka… take it off me.”

Sokka shook his head, his nose back into the crevice between Zuko’s balls and thigh. “No, I don’t think I will. Well, not all the way.” Zuko grabbed the back of Sokka’s head, carding his fingers in his hair and pushing his face into his crotch, a desperate play for friction, and something he knew would drive Sokka nuts. Sokka liked being dominant, generally, but he also craved little moments of biting and hair pulling.

His face pressed into Zuko’s balls, Sokka crept his fingers up to the waistband, stopping to give Zuko’s cock another squeeze, this time a bit harder. His fingertips hooked under the waistband, lifting it up and lowering it just enough to free Zuko’s cock and hook it behind his balls. Zuko’s cock sprang up, trailing a thin string of precum connecting his head to where it had laid against his thigh. Sokka lightly kissed Zuko’s balls, breathing in hard one last time, before he licked his way from the base to the tip of Zuko’s cock. He flicked the underside of Zuko’s head a few times, pulling his foreskin down just enough so that he could swipe across his most sensitive spot. Zuko mewled above him, flexing his legs and curling his toes. After Sokka had licked his way back down, he used one hand to press Zuko’s cock into the side of his face.

“It’s so hot, Zuko. And hard. The most beautiful cock I’ve ever seen.”

“You haven’t… seen many, Sokka.”

“I’m still fairly confident it is above-average in pretty-ness.”

He was right. Zuko’s cock was beautiful, even he would admit it. Sticking straight out from his hips, it wasn’t terribly big, but it was well-proportioned, and thick enough for a bottoming-beginner like Sokka to have to really take his time with it. It was mostly smooth, which, plus its thickness, gave it a hefty, fat feel. Sokka’s was bigger, for sure. His cock angled up a bit, causing it to smack against Sokka’s more-prominent abs whenever Zuko shucked off his underwear. Like the rest of Sokka’s skin, it was a darker color, and a little more veiny than Zuko’s. Both were thrilled to find that the other was uncut – for Zuko it was an explicit preference, for Sokka a familiar toy he was learning to use in a new way.

Sokka took Zuko in his mouth and began to bob his head up and down Zuko’s length. Sokka had improved in the dick-sucking arena considerably since they’d started hooking up. Lots and lots of practice. Sokka surprised himself with how much he enjoyed it, taking a few extra minutes out of his morning most days to rouse his sleeping partner with his mouth around his cock. His early attempts, though appreciated, lacked a certain finesse and care – Zuko taught him, mostly by demonstration, the importance of the little things in sucking dick. A well-placed swirl of the tongue. Just the right amount of suction. A good pace to go at so your jaw doesn’t fall off. Sokka was a straight A student. He knew to take it slower, suck a little harder, and take Zuko down a little farther. After a few warm-up strokes, Sokka took Zuko as much as he could, his nose reaching the tips of Zuko’s pubes. Zuko relaxed his legs a bit, sinking into the soft, warm sensation of an excellent BJ, loosening his grip on Sokka’s head a bit, but not enough so that he wasn’t just the teeniest bit pushing Sokka further and further down on him.

After a few minutes, Sokka lifted his head off Zuko’s cock, returning to the base to lick at his balls. Zuko had really sensitive balls, and each lap of Sokka’s tongue shot little sparks up his spine.

“Zuko, put your legs over my shoulders.”

Zuko, eyes softly closed, breathing slightly elevated, complied. Sokka began lifting his torso up some, slowly bending Zuko in half. Zuko was thrilled about where this was going. Sokka reached around and put Zuko’s cock back into the speedo, which would have been a bummer if he didn’t follow that up by lifting the back of the swimsuit over the curve of Zuko’s ass.

There was no teasing this time. After one long, hard lick across Zuko’s entrance, Sokka began to eat him out with a fervent passion. Another thing Sokka was surprised to find out about himself, he fucking loved eating Zuko’s ass. Definitely more than he liked to suck Zuko off. And at this, he was a natural. No notes. Sokka had made Zuko cum many, many times with just his tongue. Wasting no time, Sokka roughly grabbed at Zuko’s cheeks, spreading them apart, and went to town. If Zuko had been lulled into the ambient pleasure of a blowjob before, he was electrified now, his breaths coming out as hard moans, his eyes screwed shut, his hands desperately gripping at the couch below him.

Sokka took a moment to bite one of Zuko’s cheeks, giving Zuko a moment to catch his breath, and then asked Zuko to tell him what he wanted next.

“Oh come on, asshole… You can keep doing that until I pass out, or you can fuck me. Dealer’s choice.”

“How about I fuck you now, then eat your ass until you pass out after?”

“Deal.”

“Sweet. Wanna do that to me tomorrow night?”

Zuko nodded, biting his lower lip. “Lube is on the end table.”

Sokka left Zuko with his legs in the air for a split second, standing to rid himself of his tented, stained underwear and went to grab the lube. He made quick work of applying some to himself and to Zuko’s ready hole. Sokka repositioned them so that Zuko was laying down across the couch, his legs still in the air. Sokka got behind him, gripping the back of Zuko’s thighs, and lined himself up.

“Sokka, are you going to take the speedo off me?”

Sokka shook his head. “You’re gonna cum in it, and then I’m gonna cum in your face and use it to clean you up.”

Zuko’s eyes widened, smiling and nodding in agreement, as Sokka began to slide into him. “That’s… that’s great. I love that idea. You have the best fucking ideas. I’m… fuck I’m going to last like a second though.”

Fully seated, Sokka leaned into Zuko’s ear, whispering, “You’re gonna take tomorrow off with me, right?”

Zuko nodded.

“Good. I’m not gonna last long either. I haven’t cum since Saturday. But tomorrow, tomorrow I want to see how long we can go edging ourselves. Or I want to see how many times I can make you cum without touching you, I haven’t decided.”

“Maybe we should take the day after off, too, just so we can be… fuck,” Sokka had started to move a bit, “comprehensive.”

“I love that idea. You have the best fucking ideas.”

Sokka began fucking into Zuko in earnest now, going from a soft entrance to a hard pounding. He knew Zuko could take it. Both men were on the verge from the second they started. Zuko’s mouth was slack, eyes basically rolling as Sokka’s cock caused stars to dance in his vision. Sokka was biting his lower lip, his eyes fixed on Zuko’s face. Sokka could not get enough of Zuko on the edge, of the soft ecstasy of his face right before he came, of the deep, fast moans that he didn’t think Zuko even knew he was making. He’d sneak a glance, every few strokes, to watch his slick cock piston in and out of Zuko.

Sokka could feel Zuko begin to tighten around him, just as Zuko could feel Sokka’s cock get just that little bit extra hard before orgasm. As they grew closer to the tipping point, Sokka leaned down harder into Zuko, taking one hand and gently, but firmly, wrapping it around Zuko’s neck. A slight squeeze had them both screaming out, Zuko’s hip’s stilling as his cock spasmed, emptying into Zuko, Zuko whimpering as he shot into the speedo, pleading with Sokka to choke him just a little harder. Sokka finally collapsed on top of Zuko, both of them panting, broad smiles across their face.

“I should leave more often.”

“Absolutely fucking not. I thought you were gonna cum on my face?”

“Is that a complaint? Jeez, I forgot how _rare_ it was that I finish on your face. Every other day is just not enough for you, huh cum-slut?”

“Sokka, you can’t call me a cum-slut while you’re still inside me, you cum-slut. I might have to punish you later.”

“Oh yeah? What are you gonna do about it.” Sokka gave a little wiggle of his hips then, moving his softening cock just a bit in and out.

“I’m gonna cum on your face, dick.”

Sokka laughed, pulling himself out of Zuko fully this time, causing them both to wince slightly at the absence. Sokka then curled himself in between Zuko and the back of the couch, pushing Zuko so he was one cheek off the couch.

“Can I take these off now?”

Sokka reached down and helped Zuko out of the speedo, and before he threw it to the other side of the room, turned it inside out so he could have a few licks of Zuko’s cooling cum. Satisfied, he went back to nuzzling into Zuko’s side, his cock splayed across Zuko’s thigh, his face in Zuko’s armpit. The two sat there for a second in blissed-out silence, Sokka gently stroking Zuko’s chest, Zuko stroking Sokka’s arm.

“Zuko, can I ask you something?”

_The Talk._

“Of course, Sokka.”

“I just… I want to know if you think this is crazy. Can you… can you turn on your side so I can see your face?”

Zuko complied, shimmying down a bit so that their faces were a few inches apart, their bodies completely tangled and stuck together. Despite his request, Sokka’s eyes were downcast.

“Okay. I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want to say to you. I know I told you over text that I wanted you to be my boyfriend… and I do… I really, really do. But there’s something else going on here. I don’t know, honestly it’s been a confusing few days. Suki really helped me figure it out. Basically, I want to ask you if you think it’s crazy… fuck, Zuko, I fucking love you.”

Zuko’s eyes widened, and he tried to meet Sokka’s gaze, tried to open his mouth to reply, but Sokka steamrolled on.

“I just, I know that it’s crazy that we’ve only been hooking up for a few weeks and we haven’t put any labels on it or anything. And, even though there’s a long history of me being turned on by you, specifically, I hadn’t really accepted, until a few weeks ago, that I even liked men like that. So it’s all whirlwindy and crazy and we’ve basically just fucked each other silly for weeks and I’m afraid that’s why I’m saying this but also really really sure it’s not why I’m saying this and I’m really sure almost entirely positive that I love you so god damn much it hurts. I love you so much that three days without you had me pulling my hair out, pacing up and down Suki’s apartment. Despite what we’d been texting about, I just… I don’t know I got it into my head that you didn’t feel that way about me and that sent me into a panic spiral and that’s why I didn’t text you last night and that’s why Suki basically had to spoon me all night so I could get to sleep and that’s why I’m asking you if you think it’s crazy because I’m really not asking you anything I’m telling you that I love you and really really hoping that you’re gonna tell me that you love me too. Fuck, I’ve never not loved you, Zuko, I think. I think I’ve loved you for years but didn’t have to words to say it. I’m so fucking sorry it took me so long… Okay, I’m sorry, I’m done, you can talk now.”

Zuko picked him up by the chin and pulled him into a soft kiss.

“I love you too, dummy. I’ve been thinking the same thing. Well, I wasn’t worried you didn’t love me. I didn’t think you were _that_ sure about how you felt about me, but I knew you had feelings for me. Serious, love-y feelings. You can’t exactly hide them. I’m sorry if I my feelings for you were any way ambiguous. I just… I was thinking about this a lot this weekend too. I was asking myself how I could have possibly gone from feeling about you the way I did a few weeks ago, obviously an intense and intimate friendship, to the way I feel about you now, someone without whom I was also pulling my hair out. And I think we came to the same realization. I’ve been in love with you probably since we first became friends, and I had no idea what that meant, and I had no idea how good it would feel when I realized that, when I accepted that, acted on it. More than anyone in my life, Sokka, you’ve made me feel cared for, supported, and loved. You’re the most important person in my life. I wouldn’t do just _anyone’s_ laundry, you know. It just feels so crazy because it got so intense so quickly, but its always been there. I think that’s also why I’ve never really tried to be in a relationship all these years. I’ve been in one.”

Sokka leaned up to kiss into Zuko, harder this time. Zuko could feel he was crying.

“See, that’s kind of why I was worried you didn’t love me back. I thought… I don’t know, I thought you didn’t want a relationship, that you might just want sex. I think I took a little too much away from your relationship with Jet…”

“I mean, sure, do I hear choruses of angels when you cum inside me see stars and lightning bolts when you eat me out? Sure. But, truthfully, Sokka, I meant what I said before. Jet was only in my life for sex because sex was the only thing I wasn’t getting from my boyfriend, who didn’t know yet he was my boyfriend. Had he’d known, I’m sure he would have made Jet unnecessary.”

“So you really… you really love me back?”

“Yes, Sokka. I love you. I love every smelly, loud, messy, funny inch of you. I love you curled up in my lap and I love you sleeping next to me and I love you when you cook and don’t do dishes and I love you when you suck my cock and I love you at all fucking times in all places.”

“I’m so fucking happy you stole my underwear that night, you gross little perv.”

“And I’m so fucking happy you pulled my face into your crotch in public.”


	4. Punished

Sokka and Zuko walked out of the shitty sushi place they loved, followed by most of their friends – Sokka’s sister Katara and her boyfriend Aang, Toph, and even Suki, who was in town visiting. Sokka had a great idea to gather everyone together so they could tell everyone about their relationship at once. Zuko hated the idea, but Sokka was… Sokka about it. Zuko was nervous about condemnations and tough Katara-glares, Sokka was over the moon about being able to kiss Zuko in front of them.

All things considered, it went better than Zuko expected. Mostly because no one was that surprised. Suki already knew, and she made a big show of surprise to compensate for her foreknowledge, but the rest of the group just rolled their eyes at them. Katara kicked Sokka under the table and sharply told him that she was angry-proud at him for finally admitting it. Aang silently pulled out his wallet and slid twenty bucks over to Toph, who was grinning ear-to-ear and immediately started asking them horrific questions about their sex life. Sokka started to answer a few of them before he received kicks under the table from many parties in addition to his sister. The whole time, Sokka held Zuko’s hand under the table, their knees pressed against each other’s.

Now they were all going to get a drink at a favorite dive down the block. Sokka had his arm around Zuko’s shoulder, taking a few steps before pulling him into a hard kiss. Groans all around. A cheer from Suki. Zuko whispered an apology to her as she walked by for distracting Sokka so much when he was visiting her. She waved it off, telling him that when Sokka wasn’t frantically typing on his phone and breathing kind of heavy, he wouldn’t shut up about Zuko and how much he loved him and missed him and was afraid of whatever. Zuko says that Suki must have been used to it, having been Sokka’s friend for so long. Suki looked back at him, giving him a little wink. She said she had actually never heard him talk about someone like that. Not ever. She made a joke about rarely being able to see new sides of Sokka, someone so perpetually honest and transparent, and that she got a little thrill out of it. Zuko said he could relate. She laughed, lighting a cigarette and passing one to Zuko. Sokka made a big show of pretending to shame him about it before stealing a drag for himself and whispering into Zuko’s ear how sexy he looked when he smoked. Zuko rolled his eyes, but couldn’t help but still blush a bit. He’d never be entirely used to Sokka saying even those little innocent things to him, forget the litany of other dirty whispers are exchanged between the two in their more private moments.

The rest of the group goes inside while Zuko and Suki finish their cigarettes, laughing about how thick Sokka can be. Zuko admitted that, in this case, he was actually the thick one, and that Sokka was just silently suffering while Zuko proceeded to live an oblivious life. Suki corrected him, saying that even that was its own kind of thick, to which Zuko had to concede. Suki took Zuko by the hand and said how happy she was for them, and gave a smile-clad warning to never fuck with Sokka or xyz horrible things would happen to abc body parts. Zuko gave a fake salute before more earnestly telling Suki that he would do those horrible things himself if he ever hurt Sokka. And more.

They followed their friends into the bar and were greeted by the crowded dimness of it all, the sticky floors and peeling posters, the threadbare couch Sokka and the rest were crowded around. Sokka beamed when he saw Zuko come in. Every fucking time. Trying to sit on the arm of the sofa next to Sokka was an ill-fated move – Sokka just pulled him right into his lap, wrapping his arms around his waist and nuzzling his nose into the back of Zuko’s neck, breathing him in. Zuko placed one hand atop Sokka’s and squeezed. This was their life now. Not that they spent much time in secret. Well, kinda. They’d spent a lot of time keeping things secret from themselves. And now they got to bask in the odd glow of feelings laid bare, of being able to be themselves out in the world after realizing that they hadn’t been doing that for years. Also, Zuko thought, it was good practice for them to resume a normal social life, instead of spending every Friday night, and every other night, and a good bit of a handful of days, naked and wrapped around each other. They eventually would have turned into cum-drunk cavemen, unable to speak to the rest of the world, given over entirely to their seeming inability to keep their dicks and other parts away from dicks and other parts. Could be worse, though.

After an hour of drunken laughter, still riding Sokka’s lap, the worst did happen. Zuko was staring out into the middle distance, enjoying the glow of a few shots of whiskey mixed with the slight press of Sokka’s half-chub into his ass. He didn’t realize, though, that he’d been staring directly at Jet the entire time. Like, ex-Jet. Who was there. Also staring back at Zuko. Who was sitting on his roommate’s lap. Jet waved at him, Zuko waved back, excusing himself from the conversation to go over and talk to Jet. He’d better get this over with.

“Sooooo, hi! Sorry, I feel like I haven’t responded to your texts in a bit.”

Jet squinted at him. “It’s fine, Zuko. Just forget it.”

“No, I feel bad, I didn’t mean to blow you off, I’ve just been busy.”

Jet nods over in Sokka’s direction. “I can see that. Look, it stopped hurting a while ago. Let’s say that I’ve figured out what you’re good for.”

“Excuse me?”

“Christ you’re a fucking robot. Don’t act dumb, Zuko. It was bad enough you ignored my feelings for you when we were sleeping together.”

“I didn’t… I just didn’t know how to deal with it.”

“No, you didn’t. So excuse me if I don’t want to be all buddy-buddy with you after you strung me along for, what, a year? Inviting me over for sex when you got too pent up fantasizing about Sokka?”

“That’s not—”

“That’s exactly what happened. You know you actually said his name during sex once? Right in my fucking ear. And I, like an idiot, kept coming back.”

“I… I did?”

“Yeah.”

“Fuck. I’m sorry.”

Jet was silent for a moment, taking a sip of his drink as he looked away from Zuko.

“Whatever. Fuck, Zuko, I hope I’m wrong about you—”

“About what?”

“Well I don’t know what kind of person could know someone had feelings for them for that long and just ignore them. Like who fucking does that. Uses people like that. I don’t think you’re capable of having feelings for other people. I think you just start fucking whichever guy is smiling at you the most.”

“That’s really not fair, Jet. You can’t say things like that just because I didn’t have feelings for you.”

“Yeah, maybe. But maybe I’m right. I know that look he’s giving you. I gave you the same one. I’m not gonna stick around to see if you’re gonna give it back.”

Jet puts down his drink, throws down some cash, and starts for the door.

Zuko is stuck there a moment. He feels bad about what he did to Jet, for sure. He was a dick, no question. But something about what Jet said was giving him an eye twitch. Fucking whichever guy is smiling at you the most… that’s not what was happening, was it? The implication being that Zuko just needed validation, someone to dote on him, plus a good pounding, without much of a care for who it was. That’s not true… is it? Sokka’s different. Completely. Did Sokka have a propensity to smile at him? Yes. Dote on him? Meh, sure. Give him a good pounding? Absolutely. But Zuko was sure that he felt his insides turn around whenever Sokka gave him _that_ look. He was sure he was a little sad every morning when Sokka went off to work.

After a few minutes standing by himself at the bar, Sokka came over and wrapped an arm around him.

“Woah. What’s that face? What did Jet say to you??”

Zuko shook off his little fog and looked back up to Sokka. “Ummm. Well he kinda chewed me about a bit for being such a dismissive asshole, which was fair. But then he said some stuff about me… can we go talk outside?”

Sokka nodded, keeping his arm around Zuko as they made their way to the door. Sokka waved over at Suki, who tossed him her pack of cigarettes. He had a feeling they’d need them. They turned right out of the door and walked down the sidewalk a few steps before Zuko pulled Sokka into him, Sokka returning his call and pressing Zuko into the brick wall behind them, catching his mouth in a deep kiss. Zuko put his hands on the sides of Sokka’s face, and he could feel a slight tremble in them. Kissing Jet never made him tremble like that.

Sokka pulled away. “So what do I have to kick that dude’s ass for?”

Zuko smiled at him, then looked down. “You don’t have to do any ass kicking. Or you can kick my ass. I don’t know. He’s clearly very hurt, but he also suggested, I don’t know, that I am not capable of feelings like that. If I was the kind of person who could just… fuck well I did use him. If I could use him like that, knowing he had feelings for me, what kind of person did that make me? He said I was just looking to fuck whoever was giving me validation. He might be right about people in the past but… but he made it sound like that’s what he thought I was doing with you. That I didn’t actually have feelings for you I just… I just needed to be smiled at and fucked silly.”

“Hey hey hey, come on, Jet doesn’t know the first thing about our relationship. He has no idea what he’s talking about. He’s just hurt. I know that isn’t true. I know how you feel about me without you having to even say anything.”

Sokka turned to lean up against the wall next to Zuko, grabbing a cigarette for himself and passing the pack to Zuko.

“And what’s so bad about being smiled at and fucked silly?”

Zuko laughed. “Nothing, unless that’s the only reason you’re with someone.”

“Is that the only reason you’re with me?”

“I don’t think so?”

Sokka shoved him. “You don’t think??”

“No no, I know it isn’t. I know, logically, that Jet is wrong, and I know how I feel about you. I’m a thousand percent sure of how I feel about you, babe. It’s just the other stuff that Jet isn’t wrong about that throws me off a bit.”

“Can I ask… why you kept seeing Jet, even though you knew you didn’t have feelings for him?”

Zuko took a long drag, staring out into the street. “Because he smiled at me and fucked me silly. Because I was in love with someone else who, at that time, did only one of those things?”

Sokka sighed. “Well, you can feel bad about that. I’m not gonna tell you that that was great. If it were me, I’d be pissed too. But that does not define you, Zuko, and it certainly doesn’t define our relationship. You needed something… something else that neither of us knew how to ask for. We both needed it. Hell there’s a line of girls out there who would probably throw drinks in my face because I did the exact same thing.” He shot a crooked smile at Zuko. “But at least I didn’t keep inviting the same ones over to scratch that itch. What, too lazy to get on Grindr?”

Zuko shot him an annoyed look, matched his crooked smile.

“Yes, actually. I don’t know. It was usually so sudden. Like I’d be fine for weeks, and I wouldn’t think about dating or seeing anyone or whatever, and then something would flush over me, and all I could think about was spending a day getting pressed into a mattress by someone who was going to hold me after. And I always knew Jet would come around. So fucked up. It’s all your fault.”

“Yeah, I guess it is. Well, there’s nothing I can do to make it up to Jet, and really nothing you can do either. There’s really just one thing to do.”

“Yeah?”

“Get pressed into a mattress by someone who is going to hold you after, knowing that you’re never gonna need to desperately booty call someone again. I can do both of those things now, you know, smile at you and fuck you silly.”

“And love me.”

“And love you. Feel better?”

Zuko nodded. “A bit. Is all this your way of suggesting we ditch our friends?”

Sokka nodded, smiling. “Yep. I’ve done a lot of smiling at you tonight. Now I want to do the other stuff.”

“Deal. Give Suki back her cigarettes and take me home, have your way with your sex-robot boyfriend.”

Sokka kissed him, softer this time, his hands on Zuko’s waist. “You’re not a robot. You can just be a little horny fucker every once and a while. I’d never be mad at you about that.”

\-----------

They stumbled into their apartment – _their apartment_ – hands roaming over each other’s bodies, mouths locked together. They’d been like that since getting in the elevator, taking their time completing the twenty-foot journey from the elevator to their door, pushing each other into the hallway walls and moaning between them just quiet enough to not wake up their neighbors. Sokka had Zuko pressed against the door, who was palming Sokka through his jeans, as Sokka fished out his keys and let them in. They basically fell into their apartment, losing the will necessary to remain standing once they’d crossed the threshold into privacy. They were just barely able to make it to the first room they found, Zuko’s, before they crashed on the bed writhing under each other’s touch.

Sokka pulled up for air for a moment, a small cry escaping from Zuko’s lips as he did so. It wasn’t embarrassing anymore. Neither of them could hide the dissatisfaction they felt when forced apart from the other man’s body.

Sokka was on top of him, straddling Zuko’s waist, pinning him down by the shoulders. He looked down at Zuko hungrily, licking his lips once before smile appeared. He leaned down to whisper in Zuko’s ear.

“You know what, love, maybe I was letting you off the hook a little too easy. You’ve been so bad. I promised you a few weeks ago that I’d punish you for teasing me when I was at Suki’s. And now I hear that you’ve been begging for Jet’s cock all these years. I think…” Sokka took a break to lick a stripe up Zuko’s neck, a chill running down Zuko in its wake. “I think it’s time you learned a lesson.”

Sokka caught Zuko’s eyes, blown out and wide now. Zuko nodded, adding quietly, “Yes I’ve… I think you should.”

“I like it when you’re bad,” Sokka whispered, a dark twinkle in his eye. He slowly moved Zuko’s hands so they were pinned above his head. Zuko feebly arched his hips up, desperate for his clothed erection to make some contact with Sokka. “I like it when you beg for it. But you need to know what that does to people. You’re so fucking hot, Zuko. You just fucking ooze sex. How could anyone not want to smile at you and fuck you silly. And anyone who has, well they’re fucked. Anyone who’s seen you like this, blissed-out, cum ripping through you, anyone who’s smelled you or licked into you or heard you screaming their name into a pillow. How could anyone not love you. But you don’t know that. You don’t know what you do to people, do you?”

Zuko shook his head, eyes almost in tears now, Sokka’s words lighting up his skin.

“No I don’t… you have to show me.”

“And people like poor Jet fall right into it. But…” and this Sokka said right in Zuko’s ear, pausing once to bite at Zuko’s earlobe, “none of those people get to have you like I do. All those people you’ve ruined with your ass and your cries and your cum, I promise you, they’d kill to be me. To be the one who gets to take you home every night, the one who gets to see your pleasure ripple across your face, the one who gets to wake up every morning with their hard cock pressed against your ass, the one who gets to love you and smile at you and fuck you silly.”

“So that’s… that’s what I’m being punished for? For being hot?”

Sokka winks at him. “Yep.”

Sokka jumped off the bed, running towards his room, yelling behind him that Zuko had better be in just his boxers when he got back. Zuko stripped off the rest of his clothes, his body just the tiniest bit weak, both electrified with anticipation and coaxed into pleasurable submission by Sokka’s little speech. He laid back down on the bed, clad only in his trademark maroon boxer briefs, already tented and marked with a spot of precum.

Sokka came back into the room, similarly dressed, with two ties in his hands. Right, Zuko remembered. He knew this was coming.

“Fuck yes Sokka are you really going to—”

“Yes.”

Sokka moved to the head of the bed, grabbing Zuko’s right wrist and using one of ties to secure it to the bedpost. He leaned over and did the same with Zuko’s left arm. Zuko was still below him, absently arching his hips up off the bed, biting his lower lip, forcing himself to take deep, steady breaths. Sokka threw a bottle of lube on the bed next to them before returning to his previous position straddling Zuko’s hips, taking a second to slowly grind his hard, clothed cock down into Zuko’s. Sokka shimmied down the bed so he could shove his face into Zuko’s crotch for a moment before stripping the tied man of his last bit of clothing. He tossed the underwear on the bed next to the lube, clearly not yet done with it. He laid down next to Zuko so he could slide out of his own boxers, which he kept crumpled in his fist.

Straddling Zuko again, Sokka wrapped his hand around both of their cocks, or as much as he could possibly grab ahold of, and slowly started stroking them both. He leaned over, ghosting his face over Zuko’s left pit, sticking out his tongue for a light lick up the patch of dark hair. Zuko practically squealed below him.

“Please Sokka, do that… do that again… you know I love it when you—”

“No no no, you’re not making any requests, remember? This is punishment. Now, open your mouth for me, babe.”

Zuko did as he was told, and Sokka took his crumpled boxers and put as much of it as he could into Zuko’s open mouth, causing him to give a muffled cry.

“There you go, love. Now you get to taste me a bit, and you don’t get to talk. Win win.”

Zuko looked up at Sokka, same pupil-blown, verge-of-pleasure look on his face, slowly nodding as Zuko continued to jack them both off. Zuko was so fucking turned on. The second Sokka finished tying him up, he saw drops of precum start to fall from his cock, his head and foreskin now completely slick, spreading onto Sokka now. He wasn’t close to finishing, but he wasn’t quite on this earthly plane anymore either, hovering instead in that ecstatic middle space. He sucked greedily at Sokka’s boxers in his mouth, savoring the salty taste of his sweat and the unmistakable smell of Sokka’s sex.

Sokka began licking down Zuko’s chest, palming his pec hard with his free hand. Eventually, he moved down enough to take Zuko’s cock in his mouth, giving his head a hesitant swirl before swallowing as much of Zuko as he could. Zuko started breathing heavier, moans muffled by Sokka’s boxers, as he continued to buck his hips up into Sokka’s mouth. Sokka brought his hands to steady Zuko’s hips, pushing him back down into the mattress, and resumed his slow, languid blowjob uninterrupted by Zuko’s desperate chasing. This was the punishment, after all. Sokka was going to take it slow, and Zuko knew that he was not going to be allowed to cum any time soon.

After what felt like ten minutes of electric agony, Sokka pulled himself off of Zuko’s cock, so sensitive now that the slightest touch from Sokka caused Zuko to shiver and flex below him.

“That’s perfect, love. This… this is what you make me feel like all the time. The second your mouth is on me, I feel like I come undone, like I every nerve is on fire, like I’m constantly hovering right before that point of no return. Does it feel good?”

Zuko nodded hard.

“I’m gonna take the boxers out now, but I’m gonna replace it with something special, okay? Close your eyes.”

Zuko nodded, eyes screwed shut now. He relaxed his mouth and felt Sokka remove the garment slowly. He also felt Sokka get up off the bed for a moment before returning to straddle Zuko again. Zuko was confused for a moment, his brain needing a second to catch up to the fact that Sokka had _turned around_.

“No fucking way Sokka please ye—”

He was cut off by Sokka lowering his ass to Zuko’s face, positioning his hole right on Zuko’s mouth, which Zuko licked up into. Sokka had to brace himself on his thighs immediately, the shock of pleasure from Zuko’s tongue ripping up his spine. Zuko was not taking it slow. A moment ago he was pleased and pliant, his energy sucked out of his dick. Now, he was hungry, determined, desperate to get his tongue into those places that made Sokka purr. He was successful. Once he adjusted to the feeling of it, Sokka moved his hands back to spread himself on Zuko’s face, pushing down just the slightest bit, and bucking his hips just enough to help Zuko fuck into him with his tongue.

“Z, you’re so fucking good at that. Do you like it when I sit on your face? Fuck, your cock is so hard, babe. You should see it. You’re still dripping precum. I think you could cum just from eating _me_ out, fuck. You’re so close to that spot Zuko, keep going, just a little deeper.”

Zuko was practically crying out below him, his hips going back to fucking up into the air. Sokka wondered why he didn’t do this more often. They had to figure out some position so they could both rim each other at the same time. Maybe they needed to pick up yoga.

Sokka was only able to keep his cool because he wasn’t touching himself. His cock bounced slightly between them, dripping a little precum on Zuko’s chest every so often, but it was critical that Sokka not let himself get too carried away with Zuko’s assault on his hole. He wanted more of Zuko in there before the night was out, and he wanted to shoot a huge load on Zuko’s face when they were all done. This was a long game, and he wanted to ride Zuko’s face for as long as possible. He looked back to see Zuko’s arms flexing against the restraints, his biceps bulging as he tried to pull his hands towards Sokka’s ass.

After another ten minutes of this, of Zuko’s tongue bringing Sokka to the brink of coming untouched over and over again, Sokka reached over and grabbed the bottle of lube. Without lifting from Zuko’s face, he leaned forward, pouring some lube in his hand and using it to slick Zuko’s cock. He did it as lightly as possible, knowing that Zuko was on a hair-trigger now, his cock red and angry and already probably slick enough with precum to fuck Sokka without issue.

Sokka willed himself to lift off of Zuko’s face, looking back quickly to see the other boy’s tongue strain out of his mouth, seeking contact with Sokka’s absent hole, his face still screwed shut, lips red and slick with his own spit. Sokka turned himself around and lowered his face to Zuko’s, kissing him hard, feeling Zuko’s tongue invade his mouth as it had just invaded his hole. He could taste his sweat on Zuko’s tongue, smell himself on Zuko’s face. He pulled away and Zuko’s face softened, going back to looking pleased enough to start crying. Sokka backed himself up, moving down Zuko’s body until Zuko’s cockhead brushed against his loose, slick hole.

“Zuko, now your punishment really begins. Do you know what I’m going to do?”

Zuko nods furiously.

“Tell me.”

“You’re gonna… you’re gonna ride me… slow enough so that I don’t cum. Fuck Sokka, you’re gonna ride me until I can’t fucking talk or see or hear. Is that… is that what you’re gonna do? Please… please tell me you’re gonna let me cum. I can barely fucking see straight as it is.”

“Yeah, love. I’ll let you cum, But only when I think you’ve earned it. When you’ve been punished enough. This is what you do to people, remember? Turn them on so much they can’t even think, can’t remember their own name. Every man that gets close to you feels like that, I’m sure. But only I get to cum with you. Only I get all of you. Yeah?”

“Yes, Sokka, you get all of me. I don’t care about… what I do to other people. I only care about what I do to you…”

“You just can’t help it love, you’re too fucking hot.”

With that, Sokka slowly started to slide down on Zuko’s cock. Sokka didn’t bottom as much, so the first little bit still had those little pricks of pain, the ache of stretching over Zuko’s iron, thick cock. He breathed in deep, relaxing his hole as he continued on his way down. Zuko let out a strangled cry below him, his face contorted.

“Christ Sokka you’re fucking tight. What the fucking fuck—”

He was cut off again by Sokka placing his boxers back into his mouth, still damp with Zuko’s spit and his own sweat.

“Shh, love. I’ve got you.”

Zuko was fully inside him now, and Sokka stayed there for a moment, both so he could get used to the fullness of Zuko’s cock and so that he could draw out Zuko’s anticipation. He pushed his hips down further, getting Zuko as far into him as he could, before slowly lifting himself up. At his first movement up, Zuko let out a cross between a sob and a roar, panting now around Sokka’s boxers, his head lolled off to the side, his face slack. Sokka could feel Zuko’s cock pulse once inside of him as he moved, a centimeter at a time, up Zuko’s length. It probably took him a full minute before he’d taken most of Zuko’s shaft out of him, his head still caught in his ass as he squeezed himself around it. His thighs were burning with exertion, but hey, if it wasn’t to give him the strength and stability to do something like this, what was all that running for.

Just as slowly as he went up, Sokka went down. More cries from beneath him. Sokka could almost make out Zuko pleading with him to go faster coming out from around his crude gag. His pleas would get him nowhere. Sokka was alight with the pleasure of tormenting Zuko like this. Of course, having Zuko’s cock buried in him, slowly rubbing against his prostate with every stroke, felt incredible, but Sokka was getting more pleasure from the sight in front of him – Zuko absolutely and undeniably torn fucking apart, his chest flushed, every muscle in his body flexed, tears coming out of his eyes, mouth biting down hard on Sokka’s boxers, eyes screwed so tight together Sokka worried he might break a blood vessel. The most captivating thing Sokka had ever seen. His love below him, thrown to the agony of slow and deliberate pleasure, crying out Sokka’s name over and over as if it was the only thing he’d ever be able to say again. Sokka was so in love with him. Forever love. He couldn’t keep his face from breaking out into a ridiculous smile, the face he couldn’t help but make every time he remembered that Zuko was all his. Would always be his.

“Zuko, listen to me.”

Zuko looked up at Sokka, eyes red, his irises just black circles.

“Do you think you’ll be able to fuck up into me, if I let you?”

Zuko nodded, his jaw slack now.

“Will you cum inside me, if I let you?”

Harder nods.

“Then do it.”

Sokka leaned forward as he pressed down onto Zuko’s cock, lowering himself completely before lifting just enough to give Zuko some purchase. With one hand, he steadied himself on Zuko’s pec. The other he brought up to Zuko’s neck, giving him the light squeeze that he knew drove Zuko crazy. Crazier than he already was, if that was even possible.

Sokka cried out as Zuko began to thrust into him, hard, all the pent-up energy Sokka had built exploding into a pounding blur. Sokka choked out a moan, surprised for a moment by Zuko’s speed and strength, and he felt his eyes roll back into his head as Zuko’s cock made perfect contact with his prostate over and over again. He gripped down on Zuko’s neck a little harder.

“Is that all you’ve got?”

Zuko practically screamed around Sokka’s boxers, somehow finding it within him to pound into Sokka even harder. Sokka looked down to see his own cock weeping precum, sliding against Zuko’s abs, now slick with rivulets of sweat and lube and who else knows. Sokka took a slight grasp of himself, allowing his hand to move over his cock slowly, building to match Zuko’s pace. Unable to hold his head up anymore, he pressed his forehead into Zuko’s, looking him dead in the eye as Zuko continued to fuck up into him, chasing his orgasm as if his life depended on it.

“You can cum now, Zuko.”

Zuko’s eyes widened, mouth opening to let out a deep, long roar, and Sokka felt Zuko’s cock swell just that little bit more before he began spasming inside him. Zuko didn’t stop fucking into Sokka the entire time, his cock getting even slicker as it was covered in his own cum. Zuko came for what felt like a whole minute. Sokka felt himself fill up with Zuko’s load, much of it dribbling down Zuko’s cock. Zuko’s eyes were screwed shut, his mouth slack and unable to contain the last of his desperate moans, his arms still flexed and straining against the restraints, a clear bruise forming at his wrists.

The second Sokka sensed that Zuko might be spent, he lifted himself up off of Zuko, leaned against the wall with this hand, and fisted his slick cock above Zuko’s mouth. It only took a few strokes before he was shooting ropes across Zuko’s face, trying to shoot as much of it as he could into Zuko’s mouth, hoping to saturate his already spit-drenched boxers in his cum. His orgasm was too strong, though, half of it shooting to hit the wall behind Zuko’s head, the rest covering Zuko’s face in long white stripes that spread from his chin to his forehead, at last leaving some final dribbles to land in Zuko’s hungry mouth. Sokka was on the verge of tears now, finally able to hear himself panting and crying out as he rode out the aftershock. Zuko looked up at him, one eye screwed shut still, covered in Sokka’s cum, the other eye conveying everything Sokka needed to hear.

Panting, Sokka let out, “Don’t think you’re done yet.”

This last movement took whatever small amount of energy Sokka had left. He pulled the cum and spit-soaked boxers from Zuko’s mouth and flipped around so his ass was once again in Zuko’s face. Zuko, weaker than before, lifted his tongue to lap at Sokka’s ruined hole, catching the cum that dripped out. Sokka leaned forward and took Zuko’s still rock-hard cock in his mouth. Zuko practically screamed into his ass, wordlessly begging for Sokka to leave his overstimulated cock alone, but Sokka needed a moment to savor the taste of his lover’s cum. Satisfied, he rolled over onto his side, his cock still hard and pointing at Zuko’s mouth. Zuko, bless his destroyed and pounding heart, turned his head sideways and tried to catch Sokka’s head in his mouth, collapsing back onto the bed on the way, all the energy drained from him, finally closing his other eye.

They must have laid there panting for at least five minutes before Sokka was able to lift his torso off the bed, lean back on his elbows, and look over the ruined expanse of his satisfied lover. They’d both finally softened, and Sokka fixed his gaze on Zuko’s beautiful flaccid cock, resting gently against his balls, nestled in his thick patch of black hair. His eyes travelled up to see that Zuko was actually fast asleep, his face still covered in Sokka’s cum, which dripped slowly onto the pillow below his head.

Sokka rotated himself around, untied Zuko’s wrists, and curled up against him. He didn’t care the lights were still on, there was no way he was going to be able to get up and turn them off. There was no way he was going to be able to walk tomorrow. Neither of them will be.

Sokka nuzzled up against Zuko’s chest and whispered, “I’m gonna fucking marry you.”


	5. Storming Off

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi friends!! Thank you for all the wonderful feedback. I'm so happy this story is bringing joy and whatever folks need into their lives. 
> 
> This is a really open-ended story, and I have no real direction I want to take it in other than I want the two of them to keep having fun, so if there are things you'd like to see please let me know in the comments! Okay thats a lie I have a few ideas but I also would love to know what y'all want!

Zuko and Sokka had been openly dating for about two months before they got in their first real fight.

Surprisingly, it was not about household chores. To Zuko’s delight, Sokka was really starting to pick up some slack. Apparently, doing Sokka’s chores was some unconscious punishment levied upon Zuko for the sustained platonic nature of their relationship. Once dicks started going places, dishes started to get done, something Zuko would tease Sokka about often. It was kind of ridiculous, even if Sokka wasn’t really doing it on purpose. He just figured that if he wasn’t gonna have a boyfriend, he’d have a roommate/mom.

With that resentment out of the way, Zuko had been kind of apprehensive about when the honeymoon phase of their relationship was going to end. It was hard to judge, theirs being a kind of unconventional coupling. Zuko assumed it would be a while before they stopped getting hard every time the other person walked into the room, or before they would stop getting into long conversations, bodies stuck together in telltale places, skin flushed from earlier passions, dazed and in each other’s arms, fingers dancing over soft, slick skin, about how freaking over the moon they were for each other. They were, after all, making up for years of silence, of separation. They had a lot of time to make up, and it seemed that sex was going to be the primary means by which they were going to do that.

But the other shoe had to drop eventually. One that didn’t end with one of them getting “punished” for something (Sokka had taken to conjuring innocuous offenses as flimsy pretexts for tying Zuko up to whatever piece of furniture they were closest too. Zuko wasn’t one to complain, even if he didn’t think he necessary _deserved_ to be edged for an hour with Sokka’s tongue against his hole because he forgot to respond to a text). While he was nervous, Zuko was sure they’d get through it. Pretty sure, at least.

It started one night when they were all out together, at that same gross, sticky bar where Zuko had last run into Jet. They’d been there for a while, tossing back a few, doing a little dancing, and everyone was feeling the nice glow of a few good drinks and the thin sheen of sweat you get from dancing in a room. Aang had to pull Sokka off Zuko a few times, though – things were getting a little too handsy on the dance floor for his sister’s comfort. She shouldn’t have been so surprised. No one was that surprised when the two of them disappeared for twenty minutes, returning just the tiniest bit sweatier than the rest of them were.

“Sokka, has your shirt been inside out all night?”

Zuko pulled Katara outside to have a cigarette with him, even though she hated it. This was a little ritual of theirs, after a few drinks – Zuko would drag her out, she’d lecture him up and down about how it was still bad to smoke even if he only did it when he was drinking, and eventually they’d both just start cracking up and launch into an animated conversation about where they were going to travel to together next.

After a rousing debate of Turkey vs. Japan, Zuko’s cigarette went out, signaling it was time for them to return to their friends. Katara ran into the bar, chasing down Aang to tell him how excited she was to drag Zuko to Tokyo and how he wasn’t invited. Zuko walked behind her, enjoying a last moment of fresh air. He wasn’t more than two steps back into the bar when he caught the sight of Sokka’s distinctive topknot rising above the crown. His eyes travelled downward and saw Sokka was talking to some random boy at the bar. The other boy, clearly much more drunk than the rest of them, was leaning in to Sokka, his mouth practically by his ear. Zuko could see Sokka’s hand caress the drunk boy’s bicep, could have sworn he saw Sokka meeting the other boy’s lean. He felt his brain stop for a moment before restarting, followed shortly by his heart, and he turned on his heels and walked out of the bar.

He didn’t stop walking to light another cigarette, and he didn’t stop walking to pull out his phone and text Katara.

_I’m going home_.

**Oh… are you okay?**

_Yeah I’m fine_. _Just tired._

He opened up his text thread with Aang.

_Hey. Can you talk Sokka into staying at your place tonight?_

**Ummm no I don’t think I want that at all. Why would you want that? Also, did you leave?**

_Please? I can’t really see him right now._

**Are you okay??? Katara said you were just feeling tired, but I knew something else was happening. I can be over there in a second what’s wrong??**

_Please, don’t. Just keep Sokka away._

Zuko almost thought better of it, but he was feeling hurt and confused, so he might as well do something horrible like put his friends in the middle of it. Fuck it.

_If you want to know what’s wrong, ask Sokka about the boy he was talking to at the bar_.

**Fuuuuck noooooo Zuko I’m so sorry I’m gonna kick his ass.**

_Please don’t. Or wait until the morning._

Zuko put his phone away and went back to focusing on speed walking. He made it back to their… his apartment quickly, locking the door and toeing his shoes off as he walked directly into his pitch-black bedroom and fell flat on his face against it. Big mistake. It smelled like them. Zuko started crying.

Later, he would realize that he wasn’t sure if he could have controlled his reaction. He had no real idea what he was feeling, exactly. There was the obvious I-saw-my-boyfriend-chatting-up-and-touching-another-man thing, of course. That makes sense as a reason to speed walk home and sob. And not that Zuko had many previous opportunities to be so, but he didn’t think of himself as a terribly jealous person. If anything, the years of hearing Sokka have sex in the next room must have helped him grow a slightly-thicker skin, right? This was just a simple touch, a light lean forward, something that could be so easily explained away – it was loud and he was asking where the bathroom was, I was calmly telling him that I appreciated his offer to buy me a drink but I’m terribly in love at the moment, you seem drunk and sad would you like me to help you find your friends? All of that was infinitely more likely than Sokka making moves on some _stranger_ in front of all their friends.

None of these rational explanations came to Zuko’s mind until much later. For about twenty minutes after he got home, he laid on his back in their bed, fully clothed, hands balled into the sheets, and stared at the ceiling. He was immobilized, unable to see anything but Sokka touching that boy like he liked Sokka to touch him, think anything but Sokka whispering something into that boy’s ears like he liked Sokka to whisper things into his. Zuko knew what was behind those touches and whispers, what came after, what pushed Sokka to gently ghost his fingers across his pale bicep and sing quietly into his ear the kinds of ravishing Zuko had in store. Zuko was feeling sick.

After that twenty minutes had passed, and after Zuko’s reason was able to conquer some of the protestations of his sad lizard brain, Zuko began to feel incredibly foolish. Embarrassed. He’d reacted so strongly to Sokka, so uncontrollably. He felt like an idiot, making a scene texting Aang and Katara. And he felt more than a little, well, for lack of a better term, psycho. Was he so insecure about his relationship with Sokka that a slight brush would send him careening? Were they so codependent? Why was it so automatic? Zuko wasn’t much for losing himself to his emotions, what the fuck happened here?

Keys in a door, locks turning. Zuko wished he could hide, that Sokka wouldn’t find him like this.

“Zuko, we have to talk, okay? Where are you?”

Zuko didn’t feel like answering yet. It didn’t take Sokka long to find him, their apartment was only four rooms. He paused for a moment once he laid eyes on the shadow of Zuko’s prone form, taking a sharp inhale as he crossed the threshold into their room.

“Zuko, what happened? Are you okay?”

Though having recently calmed down a bit and provided himself a list of reasonable explanations, Zuko felt a certain uncontrollable anger rise out of him before he could tell his mouth to behave.

“ _Who was that guy?_ ”

“What guy??”

“Fuck off, Sokka. You can be honest with me, or you can go sleep in your own fucking bed.”

“I’m not fucking with you, Zuko, I really don’t know what you’re talking about… Is this why you ran off?”

“I didn’t ‘run off,’ asshole. I couldn’t just stay there watching some drunk idiot make googly eyes at you.”

“Oh fuck… you saw that.”

Zuko’s stomach dropped. He’d already basically rationalized the whole thing for Sokka, but Sokka’s tone suggested that Zuko might have been onto something. That he _did_ see something that he wasn’t supposed to see, that there _was_ something going on here.

“Tell me what I saw, Sokka.”

Sokka started laughing. Zuko was gonna kill him. He felt his eyes shoot open as he launched up onto his elbows, ready to shove Sokka off their bed and out of their house and set all of his shit on fire.

“Zuko… that guy… yeah he was wasted, and he came up to me and was asking if YOU were single. He saw us together earlier that night, but he clearly must have missed the part where we were dancing and you slipped your hand into my underwear. He was going on and on about how he wanted to fuck you and asking me if I could introduce him and I was telling him, as nicely as I possibly could, that you were very much spoken for. You must have left before we got into a… well, let’s say a ‘verbal tussle.”

Zuko screwed his eyes shut for a moment, feeling them well up under his eyelids, before he cracked a smile and started laughing himself.

“So you weren’t flirting with him?”

“Absolutely not.”

“But why was your hand on his arm?”

“Ummm, that was to stop him from making some lewd gestures underneath the bar. As nicely as possible. Again, you must have left before I grabbed him by the shoulders.”

Zuko leaned back on the bed, grabbed a pillow, and threw it over his face, letting out an embarrassed, horrified groan.

“How many times do I have to tell you, Zuko, that you’re too hot to be someone who doesn’t realize they’re hot?”

Zuko pressed the pillow down harder against his face. “A million.”

“Fine. But I promise, promise, promise that I would never, never in a million years, do something like that to you. Do you hear me?”

Sokka lifted the pillow just enough so that their eyes could connect for a moment, each of them having adjusted a bit to the darkness. Zuko nodded.

“And can you promise me that if you’re mad at me, you’re not gonna stomp off angrily and text my sister about it?”

Zuko shook his head.

“Okay, I guess that’s too much to ask. Seriously though, you had us all really worried. I’d have rather you come up and thrown a drink at me than just run off without telling me.”

“I didn’t ‘run off.’ I stormed off. Difference.”

“Fine, difference. But seriously…”

“Yeah yeah, I know. I don’t know what came over me. I think… fuck I think that this was the first time I’d ever even thought about the possibility of you… being with someone else, like that. Seeing you whisper in his ear like that it… fuck it made me see red. I know that’s crazy and possessive and unhealthy and whatever but I my brain could just not compute even the slightest, flimsiest suggestion that… that we weren’t together.”

Sokka lifted the pillow off him fully now, slowly curling up next to Zuko, slipping his arm under Zuko’s neck to pull him in close. He kissed the top of Zuko’s head.

“I hadn’t thought, for a single second, about being with someone else, or about you being with someone else… like that… until right now.”

Zuko realized he might be being a bit of a hypocrite, right then. “Not even when… you saw me talking to Jet?”

“Nope. Seriously? No way. You could have been talking to a buck-naked Chris Hemsworth and the thought still wouldn’t have crossed my mind.”

“Really? You don’t think I’d have made a pass at a naked Chris Hemsworth? Not even for the story?”

Sokka kissed his head again, nuzzling his nose into Zuko’s hair, taking a breath in.

“Now I’m gonna be the possessive and crazy one. No, I don’t think you would. Well, not without inviting me along, at least. I don’t know if that’s because I’m overconfident in our relationship or if because my brain, my heart, literally cannot even begin to piece together the suggestion of a world in which we’re not together. Fuck this is coming out so wrong. I know, Zuko, _I know_ that we’re going to… we’re going to be together forever. As sure as I know my own name. As sure as I know that I can’t fall asleep anymore without you touching me. As sure as I know, now, that I fell in love with you when I saw you come out of the water on the first day of our first camping trip. So yeah, maybe I should be jealous of something like that, but I know that I love you more than I thought it was possible to love someone, and I don’t think… can’t imagine… that that kind of love is something that exists on its own. I think you love me the same way.”

Zuko pulled him in closer, eyes still welling up, but for different reasons this time.

“I do love you like that, Sokka. I just… you know me. I can’t get too comfortable. But I’m amazed by you. I want my love for you to make me so sure, like that. I don’t know… sometimes loving someone this much is scary. And when I felt the rug come out from under us a little tonight I just… gave in to that part of it. I’m sorry I ran off. I don’t want you to think… that I don’t love you like that just because I freaked out.”

“Hey now, you stormed off, remember? Very dignified, an appropriate response. And don’t… don’t be so hard on yourself. I could never forgive myself if I hurt you like that for real. And… don’t think I don’t get afraid sometimes, too. I used to, all the time. For the first few weeks of our relationship I was just waiting for you to tell me that you actually weren’t interested or you just wanted to do a friends with benefits thing or something ese. But every day we’re together, I get a little less afraid, a little more certain. A lot more certain.”

Zuko lifted his chin to catch Sokka’s mouth, kissing him gently for a moment before bringing his head to rest back against Sokka’s chest.

“Really, coming out of the water at the hot springs? What, was I wearing the red speedo?”

Sokka nodded, pushing his hips into Zuko a tiny bit.

“Perv. I knew you just loved me for my body.”

“When did you know?”

“Well I didn’t know, know. But you’re gonna laugh.”

“Yes of course, revisionist history caveat always applies. Now tell me!!”

“When I caught you staring at me as I got out of the water on the first day of our first camping trip.”

“… I fucking hate us.”


	6. First Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flashback! Not much smut here (really any) but I promise promise promise more to come. I just can't help writing more angsty fluff with these two! It's impossible to avoid!

Flashback, 5 years ago

Making new friends sucked. After his first few weeks of college, Zuko was beginning to regret, just the tiniest bit, his choice to go to school so far away from home. Not that Zuko had sooooo many friends back in California, and it’s not like Colorado was sooooo far away, really. But almost all of his friends stayed back home and went to some UC. To be fair, Zuko had chosen to scoot a little further east because he was desperate to get out from under the judgy eyes of his dad and sister, and any amount of social isolation was a small price to pay for that kind of freedom.

Still, he was having a tough time meeting new people. He wasn’t particularly socially outgoing, and he was fully aware that the combination of his resting face and his scar over his left eye was basically a big ‘Do Not Talk To Me” billboard he carried around with him all the time. He got along fine with his roommate, some kid from New York named Li, who largely kept to himself and seemed to have his hands full with off-campus jobs and schoolwork. Zuko had availed himself of the ample Grindr offerings in his new locale, enough to let out a few different strains of frustration, but he wasn’t looking for someone he was fucking to become his buddy. But getting railed by some stranger while his roommate was at the library did, sometimes, take the edge off his loneliness. Just the edge, though.

One consistent problem was that Zuko was extremely perturbed by overly-friendly people. Like, totally weirded out by them. So on the off chance someone would take a look at Zuko and think “I shall talk to this terrifying man,” Zuko was more likely than not to rebuff them. He knew it was counterproductive, but he couldn’t help it. Which made his environmental science class all the more challenging, because this horrifically friendly guy kept sitting next to him and trying to talk to him. His name was Aang, also a first-year, lived in the dorm next to him, liked puppies and hiking and had this girlfriend he was obsessed with, none of which Zuko discovered because he inquired. Aang just talked at him until Zuko would eventually crack and respond, which made Aang light up and just talk even more. After the first week of their class, Aang asked Zuko for his number and said he wanted to invite him to a party. Zuko gave him his number, fully not intending to go anywhere with this man, but it did buy Zuko a bit of quiet at the end of class that day.

Giving Aang his number proved quickly to be a huge mistake. Constant texts. No regard for response rate. The guy was unstoppable, seemingly committed to becoming friends with Zuko. Normally, Zuko would throw this into the “this dude just wants to bang” category, but he was more than reasonably confident that this wasn’t what was happening here. Aang, apparently, just wanted to be friends. Normal-ass friends.

One Friday night, toward the end of September, Zuko finally caved. Aang had been texting him all week asking him to come over to his room for some party he was throwing, promising it would be low-key, practically begging Zuko to get out of his room and be social. After telling Ty Lee, easily his most socially-competent friend, all about Aang, she practically screamed at him through the phone to stop being rude and take him up on his offer to be friends. He took that to heart, and told Aang that he’d be there on Friday night. Aang blew up his phone with gifs and emojis and all this other crap Zuko hated, but he would be lying if he said he didn’t crack just the smallest smile.

Friday rolled around and Zuko was stuck in his closet, ha ha, rifling through things he could deem party-worthy. Everything he owned was either maroon or black, neither of which were particularly fun or festive or inviting. Which perhaps was the message he wanted to send. I’m here, I’m gonna talk to people, but my vibe is all-black and scowls and if you can’t get down with that then move along. He threw on a tight maroon turtleneck, one of his favorites, that hugged his chest in all the right places, and a pair of tight black jeans, which hugged in a similar fashion, and was out the door probably too early to be considered socially acceptable. He realized on his walk over that when Aang told him to be there at 9, he probably wasn’t expected to arrive on time. Oops. Another thing he couldn’t really help, he hated being late to things.

As expected, Aang was surprised to see Zuko there on time, there at all really. Aang hugged him and told him that he didn’t actually think Zuko was going to come. Zuko cracked a smile, said something about being full of surprises, and then Aang grabbed his arm and dragged him around to introduce him to all his friends. First stop was Aang’s girlfriend Katara, a striking young woman with golden-brown skin and long dark hair, who smiled at Zuko and gave him some blue drink that she promised was tolerable. Zuko thanked her, took a sip, and was pleased to discover that it wasn’t nearly as gross as it looked. She said something about being happy to meet Aang’s new friend he’d been talking so much about. Zuko said he was happy to meet all of Aang’s friends, and mustered the social graces to say how glad he was to have met Aang in class. Truthfully, he was still really weirded out by Aang. The dude knew nothing about Zuko other than he barely passed their last test and he was from California. Katara, seemingly able to read Zuko’s mind, asked Zuko to forgive Aang’s eagerness—apparently, he just had a sixth sense for when someone needs a friend. Zuko went to protest “needing a friend,” but thought better of it, choosing to reply with a quiet nod instead.

Next up was a shorter woman named Toph, who immediately shot up her hand to rest on Zuko’s shocked face. Confused, Zuko’s first thought was that this was some unfamiliar greeting. Zuko immediately did the same with his free hand, laying it on Toph’s face gently, which caused a riotous uproar of laughter. When she gathered her breath, Toph explained to him that she was blind and wanted to feel what he looked like. Just in case he was hot, she said. Zuko asked if he passed her test, and she nodded.

“Oh yeah, I can immediately feel your sexy fuck-the-world vibe. I have a lot of friends that would be into that. You’re gay, right?”

“How could you tell that from just grabbing my face?”

Another laugh. “I didn’t. Katara was stalking your Instagram, she pointed a few things out to me that checked all the right boxes.”

Zuko could think of one single photo that might have had some rainbow whatever in it from years ago, and was both impressed by Toph and her blunt-ness and suddenly feeling very scrutinized by this new friend group. Why were they stalking his Instagram?

Aang pulled him away from Toph, apologizing up and down for her. Zuko actually laughed at Aang’s apparent dislike for Toph’s attitude, as he had immediately taken a shine to her. Straightforward, offering to hook him up with her friends, all around a cool girl. He was gonna take her up on that offer, he thought.

There were a few other folks milling about, most of whom Aang introduced him to but Zuko forgot their names. Eventually, Zuko was able to pull away and go find Toph again, who immediately pulled Zuko towards the little table with all the alcohol and forced him to do shots with her. He really liked Toph. She wasn’t going through all the typical new-friend motions of where are you from and what’s your major and blah blah blah, she wanted to complain to him about her packed dating life and drama with the rugby team and tell him that this party was his audition to become her new drinking buddy. After a few more shots, she told him he’d gotten the part. Zuko was getting light-headed, and, if pressed, he would admit that he was having a really good time.

“Sokka!”

Zuko’s head turned at Katara’s call to see an equally-striking boy walk into Aang’s room. Zuko felt his eyes widen just the tiniest bit. He was very tall, all broad shoulders and high-beam smile, his skin the same golden-brown as Katara, his dark hair tied back in a loose bun. He ran right up to Katara and grabbed her by the waist, lifting her up as she laughed, making it clear that she was a might tipsier than he. Sokka, apparently, spun her around once before putting her down and reaching over to give Aang a hug.

“I can tell you’re staring.”

Zuko was, but he was pulled out of it by Toph’s comment.

“You couldn’t possibly know that.”

“Yes, I do. Everyone stares at Sokka. It’s really fucking annoying.”

Of course they did, Zuko thought. How could anyone not? Forgoing all the objective hot-dude stuff, his presence shifted the energy in the room—already a party, but now somehow lighter, louder. Zuko was immediately terrified of him—a common reaction he had to beautiful, confident men with smiles and hugs and at whom everyone stares. Those kinds of people were always nice to Zuko, but had the tendency to throw into relief all those things that Zuko didn’t always love about himself. Already a little awkward, people like Sokka tended to trip him up, whirl his words together, stop his brain a second. He just couldn’t wrap his head around what it would be like to be someone like that. He kept staring, though, knowing he’d already been caught.

“Who is he?”

“Katara’s older brother. But they’re basically like twins.”

“Is he hugging everyone like that because he’s been away a while or…”

“No. He always does that. And you’re gonna get it double, new guy.”

Zuko wasn’t sure if he wanted to get it double. He took another sip of his drink, trying to find something else to stare at. Before too long, Aang was pulling Sokka towards them, and Zuko could make out Aang giving Zuko a little introduction along the way. When they got to their little corner of the room, Sokka’s eyes caught Zuko’s, blue fire shimmering, a smile spreading across his mouth.

“So you’re the mystery class friend! I was starting to think Aang made you up!”

Before he could respond, Zuko was pulled into the expected hug. Sokka’s arms wrapped around his shoulders, dragging him in, until Zuko’s face was pressed against Sokka’s shoulder. Sokka held him there a moment, and Zuko felt the odd coolness of Sokka’s skin, the hard mound of Sokka’s shoulder against his cheek and the broad planes of Sokka’s chest pressed up against his. Sokka smelled like pine and sweat. Zuko wasn’t quite sure what to do, so he wrapped his own arms around Zuko’s waist, perhaps a little too low for an introductory hug, but certainly not unappreciated.

“Okay, can confirm you’re real. Welcome to the party! I see you’ve met the consistent winner of the rugby team’s spirit award, little Toph.”

Toph, incensed by Sokka’s sarcasm, punched him hard in the shoulder.

“Hands off, Sokka, Zuko’s my new best friend.”

“I’m sure there’s plenty of Zuko to go around, right?”

Sokka locked eyes with Zuko again when he said that, and Zuko almost choked on his drink.

“Umm I guess? I don’t know, already Aang and Toph are taking up a lot of my time, I’m not sure how much room I have left on my friendship dance card.”

“He speaks, and he jokes!”

Sokka slapped him on the back. Zuko did choke on his drink a little, then.

“Don’t get your expectations up, I don’t really do much of either,” he said, choosing then to push his luck a bit. “Little Toph got me a little more than tipsy.”

Zuko received a punch of his own then, followed by Toph storming off.

“Where’s Suki? I need to talk to someone who doesn’t make me want to throw them out a window.”

Zuko regretted making his joke, now he was alone with Sokka.

“Ummm, so you’re Katara’s brother?“

“Yep!” he said, pouring a drink. “And what’s your deal?”

Zuko gulped. He had no idea what his deal was.

“I guess I’m a friend of Aang’s, we met in class… which you already know. Ummm, I don’t know, I’m a first-year, from California, I’m a graphic design major…”

“Cool cool no I don’t mean any of that, though. I mean, like, who are you?”

Sokka leaned in a bit when he said that, that smile still on his lips.

“I’m the consistent winner of the rugby team’s spirit award.”

Sokka was bent over, cackling at the repetition of his own joke. Zuko was relieved. Maybe it wasn’t so hard to talk to guys like Sokka after all.

“Good, you’re funny. You’ll fit in great.”

“And what’s your… deal?”

“Oh you know, I’m just a man, standing in front of another man, thinking about humble bragging about the actual spirit awards I’ve won.”

Zuko actually did laugh at that one. Not a fake polite laugh, or even a just-because-I’m-drunk laugh, a real one.

“You’ll have to show me your trophies sometime.”

“You’re going to regret saying that. So are you coming with us this weekend?”

Zuko cocked his head. “No?”

“Oh shoot, I was sure Aang had invited you. We’re all going camping this weekend up at the Boiling Rock. It’s got hot springs and hiking and all that dumb outdoorsy stuff. Aang, Katara, Toph, Suki and I are going. I have an extra spot in my tent, why don’t you come along?”

“Sure!”

Sokka’s face lit up. Zuko had no idea why he said that. He had absolutely no interest in going camping, with anyone, anywhere, at any time. He had no interest in getting stuck on top of a mountain with a bunch of people he just met. But despite all that, his mouth moved faster than his brain, his eyes still caught in Sokka’s.

Sokka pulled him into another hug, somehow even tighter this time, while he yelled, “Bunk buddy!! I’m gonna go tell Aang!!”

Sokka ran off and Zuko downed the rest of his drink. He could feel himself smiling still. Toph had returned by that point, and immediately covered Zuko’s mouth with her hands.   
  


“Yeah, he does that to people.”

The next day Toph would tell Zuko that some really hot dude came up to him after Sokka left and was clearly trying to make a move. Zuko was shocked to hear this—he didn’t even notice the other boy.

\------------

The six of them piled into Aang’s and Sokka’s cars early the next morning. Zuko and Toph were with Sokka, Katara and Suki with Aang. Toph and Zuko were really vibing on the same dead-hungover-if-someone-looks-at-me-I’ll-vomit level, the two of them screaming in unison the first time Sokka tried to sing along with the radio. Sokka pulled off at the next exit and ran into a gas station to get them all coffees and the first gross snacks he could get his hands on.

Hungover is not how you want to start a camping trip. Probably. Truthfully, Zuko had no fucking idea how one goes about starting a camping trip. But he had a hunch that it wasn’t like this; head pounding, with two people who were still basically strangers, desperately clutching a small duffle bag hastily-packed with whatever Zuko could find that one could classify as outdoorsy.

“Zuko you can lighten up on your bag, you know. We’re not gonna rob you.”

“Sokka, if I let go of this bag, my body will relax just enough to completely fall apart. This is my life preserver. Now can you please just let the radio lull me into an early death? What is this, Celine Dion? That’ll do.”

Sokka laughed his big, beautiful laugh again, this time too big and not as beautiful in Zuko’s ringing ears. 

“Zuko, I’m gonna guess that you have no idea how funny you are, right?”  
  


“No I know exactly how funny I am. Not funny at all.”

More laughter. This man was going to kill him. Toph, wonderful brave wise Toph, began kicking the back of Sokka’s seat, begging him to keep it down until they got to the mountain.

“Zuko, do you want me to keep it down too?”

Sokka took his eyes off the road for a second, just long enough to make more eye contact with Zuko.

“You can whisper-sing and whisper-laugh, deal?”

“Jesus Zuko, don’t suck up to him like that. He’s never going to sleep with you, anyways.”

Zuko heard a record scratch, then shattering glass.

“What? You were thinking it. Sokka’s straight, you don’t have to be nice to him.”

Zuko’s grip tightened on his duffle bag, his eyes wide open, staring at the road in front of him. He couldn’t see it, but Sokka had on a similar expression.

“I wasn’t…”

“No no it’s cool, I… ummm… just didn’t know you were gay. Which isn’t a problem!!! No problem at all!!! But ummm… yeah, Toph’s right, I’m unfortunately heterosexual.”

“Sokka, please stop talking about this, I wasn’t thinking anything, except now I think I’m gonna murder the MVP of the women’s rugby team.”

“Hey! I saved you from wasting precious pining energy! I saw how you were looking at him last night. And this morning.”

“YOU COULDN’T POSSIBLY KNOW THAT,” they said, in unison.

“Yeah yeah, but I know I’m right.”

“NO ONE WAS GIVING ANYONE ANY LOOKS,” again, in unison. Then they caught each other’s eyes for the first time for a moment before quickly turning away.

A few beats past before Toph thought it wise to butt back into it.

“Sokka, are you sure though? Because you could do worse than about-to-puko-Zuko over here”

Zuko mustered the energy to feebly raise one hand.

“Toph, I will vomit on you. Sokka, not a fucking word. If this conversation continues, I’m going to have to find somewhere to bury _two_ bodies, and I am unfamiliar with the terrain.”

Silence, for a beat or two, until Sokka snorted out a laugh.

\---------

Zuko milled about aimlessly as the group set up their tents. Not only was he useless in that department, but he also was still dealing with the tinge of awkwardness that comes from going on an overnight trip with a group of best best friends that you met less than twenty-four hours prior. Sokka had gotten their tent all set up and he beckoned for Zuko to come over and drop off his stuff. Sokka greeted him awkwardly inside the tent.

“So… I just want you to know that I’m totally cool with sharing a tent with you and I don’t care that you’re gay and its totally fine and cool.” Deep breath.

“Sokka…”

“I just wanted to say that in case you were feeling weird about me maybe feeling weird and I’m not feeling weird so you shouldn’t feel weird either… OK?”

“You sure you’re not feeling weird? I can go sleep with Toph…”

“No no no! I promise! Please, it’s totally fine. I’m sorry I shouldn’t have said anything this was dumb.”

“It’s OK…”

Sokka was looking away from him this whole time, but when he heard Zuko’s response he met Zuko’s eyes with another smile.

“That was weird, wasn’t it?”

“Very.”

“I’m sorry… I just don’t have many gay friends and don’t really know how to do it right all the time.”

“Well, how about you start by just treating me like any other friend you’d be sharing a tent with.”

Sokka laughed again. “You’re also going to regret saying that. I’m a snuggler, and Katara tells me I fart in my sleep.”

Zuko had no idea how it was possible, but he found the admission endearing. And he didn’t hate the idea of Sokka snuggling him in the night. Sokka had already bounded out of the tent, running off to get the grill set up with Suki. Zuko let out a deep exhale as he pulled out his swimsuit and began to get changed. Keep your shit together, Zuko. He’s not into you.

\-------------

It was a bit of a hike to get to the hot springs from their campsite, but even Zuko would admit that it was worth it. The springs themselves were a smattering of small pools popping up from a smooth rocky surface, each connected by a small little river, leading slightly downhill to a waterfall. Where they were above the waterfall they had an incredible view of the valley below them, and Zuko couldn’t wait to try his hand at sketching the scenery.

They’d brought blankets and towels and stuff to make a little sitting area on the hard rock, and after they were done setting up Toph plopped down, exhausted and notably more hungover than Zuko. Zuko went to join her, even though he was still annoyed with her behavior in the car. Suki came to sit down with them as well, taking off her coverup and lying face down on the blanket with a book in front of her. She asked Zuko to help her with her sunscreen, which he did in exchange for reciprocal help. Suki made a joke about him needing it more than her, by the look of his fair skin. She wasn’t wrong.

  
Sokka, Aang, and Katara all immediately went into the water, splashes followed by a chorus of relaxed sighs as they sank into the warm water. The Colorado fall was just getting cool enough to make something like that feel incredible. Zuko was going to go in after them, but he wanted to do a little drawing first. And he wasn’t quite ready to shed the few layers of his own coverup yet. The only swimsuit he could find was a skimpy little red speedo left over from his swim team days, hidden now behind a loose pair of black linen shorts. He pulled out a small sketchpad and, sitting cross-legged next to a sleeping Toph, began to draw. After a few minutes, he caught himself drawing just Sokka, who was leaning back against the rocky edge of the nearest pool, his arms outstretched, his head thrown back. His hair had gotten damp, and it hung in loose strands that managed to escape his bun. Zuko quickly turned the page, hoping Suki hadn’t been glancing over at his pad. His next drawing zoomed out a bit to include all three of his new friends in their pool.

He’d gotten caught up in the intricate details of Katara’s braid when the sun was blocked out. Zuko looked up to find a dripping-wet Sokka towering above him. He looked away quickly, clutching his pad to his chest, not ready to see to what parts of him Sokka’s bathing suit was clinging.

“You’re going to have to come in now.”

“Why?”

“I said so! We hiked all the way over here! I, as your new friend, demand it. You’re coming in!”

“You’re not bugging Suki about it!”

“He knows better,” she said, never taking her eyes off her book.

“I do know better. Wait, have you been drawing this whole time?”

Zuko felt his face flush as Sokka came to sit down next to him, sidling up to him while, without being told to do so, watching out for errant drips that might fall on Zuko’s pad.

He was practically whispering in Zuko’s ear. “Can I see?”

Zuko nodded slowly, unfurling his arms to let the pad fall back into his lap. “Sure…”

Sokka looked down at the page for a moment before taking in a sharp inhale.

“Are you kidding me?? We’ve been here for like, a half hour!! How the fuck did you do that?? I look amazing. You did such a good job with Katara’s hair and Aang’s tattoos and holy shit you are so good at this!!”

“Um, thanks, Sokka.”

“Don’t be so modest! You have to show everyone this later. And I want you to draw me sometime, wow you’d make me look amazing, would you do that?”

Gulp.

“Yeah, Sokka, of course…”

Now Sokka was really whispering in his ear.

“Did I make it weird again?”

Zuko shook his head quickly. “No, no, I promise. I’d be happy to draw you, in a non-weird way.”

So, drawing him like one of my French boys is off the table, apparently. Zuko laughed internally at his own joke. He was losing his mind.

“Awesome. Now, are you coming in?”

Zuko nodded, closing his pad before Sokka asked to see any other drawings. Sokka went off ahead of him and left Zuko to peel his remaining clothes off and pile them on the blanket. He padded over to the pool where the rest of them were and slowly got in. The water was very warm, immediately drawing out any tension Zuko felt in his body, for better or worse. Aang looked up at him as he was getting in.

“Love the speedo look, Zuko. Katara, think I could pull one of those off?”

“Of course, babe. Though I don’t think they’d have the same effect. Zuko, don’t take this the wrong, but you have an amazing butt.”

Zuko felt himself turn the same color as his bathing suit.

“Really? I think it’s just fine.”

“Oh hush. Seriously, like, do you just do squats for an hour every day? Tell Aang what you do, please.”

“Hey! I have a fine butt!”

“Yes you do, babe, but come on, you gotta admit Zuko’s got something special there. Sokka, even you would have to agree with that.”

Sokka’s eyes had been closed until this point, but he opened them to give Zuko a once-over. Zuko watched him as he did and saw a noticeable dilation, a slight slackening of his jaw, his eyes landing for a beat or two extra on certain parts of him as they traveled down Zuko’s body. Normally, something like this would make Zuko want to jump out of his skin, run off screaming into the distant wilderness. Even when someone he was sleeping with looked at him like that, he hated it. But not this time. He liked having Sokka look at him. He felt comfortable with Sokka’s eyes on his body. He wanted more. Though he quickly banished the thought, it crossed his mind that the way that Sokka looked at him was not the way a straight man looks at his friend. Distinctly, unmistakably, unequivocally not. And the four seconds of dead air that followed Katara’s prompt was decidedly too long for a straight man to tell a friend of his that he had a nice butt.

Sokka looked back up, catching Zuko’s eyes, and a look of panic spread across his face, as if he realized what he was doing and that he’d been caught. But he didn’t lose Zuko’s eyes. He just kept looking at him, pupils blown.

“Yeah, Zuko, you do have a really nice butt.”

Zuko kept his eyes locked on Sokka’s, a sudden flash of courage welling up inside of him, as if he was challenging Sokka’s eyes to say more, to let something slip. He slid into the water next to him, resting his arms on the ledge so that their fingertips were just barely touching, before leaning his head back and closing his eyes, silently, stupidly, hoping Sokka would move his fingers just a little bit closer to him. Zuko was sure, then, that he’d completely lost his mind. Which was further confirmed when Sokka abruptly got out of the water, saying something about having to talk to Suki. Zuko didn’t react to Sokka’s departure, but he could make out Aang whispering to Katara.

“What the fuck was that about?”

\----------

Sokka hadn’t returned to the hot springs—apparently, he dragged Suki off to help him set up the grill or something. Zuko was afraid he’d done something wrong, that he let slip that he liked Sokka’s eyes on him a little too much, that maybe Toph was right and he was giving Sokka inappropriate looks.

Okay, Toph was definitely right. Zuko would defend himself by saying that anyone who sees Sokka would give him those looks. Toph basically said as much the night before! He would say that he was experiencing acute moments of extreme thirst for his new friend, but that was it. Just his horny mind and horny body reacting to a genuinely-nice unreasonably-hot man looking at him and laughing at his jokes and telling him he was a great artist. Inappropriate, yes, but ultimately a reasonable response. Still, he was dreading being alone with Sokka later.

Especially because Sokka avoided him for the rest of the night. When dinner turned into a campfire which turned into drinking which turned into dumb games and riotous laughter, Sokka stayed glued to Suki’s side. Zuko didn’t catch him looking over at him once. He was feeling stupid for even looking to see if he was looking at him. And feeling stupid like that meant sidling up next to Toph and challenging her to some made-up drinking game, which Katara and Aang jumped in on. They didn’t notice when Sokka and Suki slipped away, each turning in for the night in their respective tents. Zuko stumbled into their tent a few hours after, barely able to see straight, but was, thankfully, able to get into his sleeping bag without waking Sokka.

Or, he was pretty sure he didn’t wake Sokka. Still seeming like he was asleep, Sokka rolled over, unconsciously wrapping one arm around Zuko’s waist.

His last thought before going to sleep was that this man was trying to fucking kill him.

\---------------

Present Day, the morning after the fight

“So when you did your own little storming off and ran away with Suki, that was for what again?”

“I was in the middle of my very first sexual crisis! I needed to talk to her!”

“My ass set off your first sexual crisis?”

“And every subsequent crisis!”

“And what did you tell her?”

“I told her that I was fucking head over heels for you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. She was floored, and told me I was being ridiculous, that I couldn’t possibly have feelings for you. We’d exchanged like two sentences, most of which were strained by my fucking internalized homophobia, and had known each other for less than a day. And, not to put this last in the list of reasons I was being ridiculous, but I’d never once before then mentioned being attracted to men.”

“Had you ever felt that way about another guy?”

“Nope.”

“So, what, Suki told you to get a grip and ignore me?”

“Kinda. Well she said I needed to figure my shit out so I didn’t do something stupid and hurt you or lead you on. But really she chalked it up to me not having gotten laid in a bit and told me to go wank it off.”

“And you did?”

“Yep.”

“In our tent?”

“Sokka… was that the first time you smelled some of my clothes.”

“…. Fuck.”

“Holy shit!! You perv!! You had your face in my underwear the _first fucking day we hung out_??”

“If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times. You in that speedo changed my life in many wonderful and disgusting ways. And it wasn’t your underwear. I couldn’t find your underwear, I looked everywhere. It was your t-shirt.”

“Wow. Honestly, that’s fucking hot. I wish I’d seen it.”

“And hey! Don’t act all high and mighty here. You were showing yourself off to me that day. That whole afternoon you were looking at me like you wanted to suck me off in those hot springs.”

“This is true, I did want to suck you off in the hot springs.”

“And I know you drew me that day when you thought no one was looking.”

  
“What? How could you know that??”

“Because I rifled through your sketchbook when you weren’t looking. Some very tasteful nudes in there, if memory serves. And then a few weeks later, when you left me alone in your room for some reason, I went into that sketch book and stole the page.”

“No you fucking didn’t.”

“I really fucking did!”

“I would have noticed.”

“You didn’t! Wait right here.”

Like Zuko was fucking going anywhere. Until this point they’d been tangled up in each other, stuck together by the remnants of their make-up sex. Sokka ran off towards his room, butt naked, returning quickly to shove a folded-up piece of paper in Zuko’s face. Zuko unfolded it to see that it was, as Sokka promised, the page from his notebook that featured his very first drawing of Sokka. It was wrinkled and faded, but unmistakable.

“You… you kept this all these years?”

“Yeah… it was really special to me. I don’t know… all these years of feeling this stuff for you that I didn’t understand… looking at that drawing made the confusion level out a bit. Made me feel certain of… I don’t know, something. A frozen moment in time when my life changed, even if I didn’t quite know how. It made me happy, knowing that this is how you saw me that first day. Made me hopeful that this was how you still saw me.”

Zuko quickly caught Sokka’s mouth, kissing him deeply as he pushed him back into the bed and climbed on top of him. Zuko planned to ride that man until they both died from dehydration. He loved him so fucking much.

“That’s exactly how I still see you, love. You’re gonna die when I show you all the other drawings I did of you.”


End file.
